A Tampa man is facing two counts of aggravated child abuse after a 2-month-old baby left in his care was taken to a local hospital in critical condition, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
Kent Hawkins Johnson Sr., 23, is being held without bail at the Orient Road Jail.
The baby arrived at a local hospital with severe injuries at 4:30 a.m. Monday. His skull was fractured and he had a broken femur and ribs, deputies said. The Sheriff's Office did not say what relationship Johnson had to the infant, where the abuse occurred or the child's name.
"We have this 2-month-old infant, and we're hoping and praying he survives, but if he doesn't, those charges can very quickly change to murder charges," said Sheriff's Office spokesman Larry McKinnon.
On Dec. 19, Johnson was taking care of the baby when he suffered the rib and femur injuries, according to an arrest report. About 4 p.m. Sunday, Johnson struck the baby's head, the report said.
Johnson told deputies he held the baby over his head and spun him in circles. He said he fell, along with the baby, who landed on the tile floor. The baby cried for about a half hour.
Johnson then picked him up off the floor by his leg, the report said. He told deputies the femur and rib injuries were likely a result of that.
He also told deputies he intentionally hit the baby Sunday because he was crying.
A doctor with a child protection team examined the baby Monday and said the skull injury happened within the prior 24 hours, while the other injuries were seven to 10 days old.
"We're glad we got this guy in jail," McKinnon said.
He called the case tragic and said the ongoing investigation will focus on what happened between the two instances of abuse to see if anyone else may be culpable.