Man Accused Of Shaking, Playfully Tossing Infant, Causing Serious Injuries

A St. Clair man has been charged after he allegedly shook a crying infant and playfully tossed her in the air.

Steven W. Sanders, born 1999, faces one count of abuse or neglect of a child resulting in physical injury.

The infant had multiple fractures to her ribs, femur and collarbone, along with retinol hemorrhage and multiple bruises.

The abuse allegedly occurred in October 2023 in Crawford County.

According to the probable cause statement, the child’s mother took the infant, who was two-months-old at the time, to the pediatrician. The nurse practitioner found the bruising to be suspicious and the child was taken to Children’s Hospital for multiple fractures.

On Oct. 26, 2023, Sanders went to the Union Police Department where he admitted that he was taking care of his daughter and stepson. 

The baby was crying and it was giving him a headache, so Sanders allegedly admitted to shaking her three times. He also showed how he tossed the baby in the air to play with her.

A criminal summons was issued Sept. 11 for Sanders to appear in court.