Kentucky man accused of assaulting newborn to get her to stop crying

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKYT) - A Frankfort man is accused of assaulting a newborn because she was crying.

The arrest citation for 29-year-old Arien Fredrickson says officers were called Sunday night to a home in the 800 block of Louisville Rd. in Frankfort for a medical distress call.

Neighbors at the Juniper Hills apartment complex say the young couple had just moved in to Unit 118, and one man said not longer after they came over to introduce themselves, police and ambulance crews “flooded” the area.

The citation says the call involved a 4-week-old baby in physical distress who was described as having “blue lips, blue color around the eyes and with a possible obstructed airway.”

According to the citation, the baby was nonresponsive and had visible injuries near her head and neck. The child was taken to a Frankfort Regional Medical Center and then transferred to UK Children’s Hospital due to “serious physical injury.”

Police say the child is still being treated for multiple “serious” and potentially life-threatening injuries.

The arrest citation says Fredrickson, the baby’s father, told officers he had intentionally assaulted the baby to get her to stop crying.

Fredrickson was arrested on charges of criminal abuse and assault. He is being held in the Franklin County Regional Jail on a $1 million bond.

The infant’s mother, Helena Herbert, was also arrested for failure to report child abuse. Detectives say she knew of the abuse and made no reports to social services.

People who work with youth issues in Kentucky say they sadly see this kind of abuse frequently, often when new parents become overwhelmed.

“If they are getting to a point where they are feeling a lot of frustration or being overwhelmed, it is okay to set your baby in a crib, clear of any toys or blankets. And walk away for five or 10 minutes,” said Shannon Moody with Kentucky Youth Advocates.

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