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Infant in critical condition after alleged child abuse; man arrested, charged

Deputies say the man is also charged with drug possession and violating probation.
Credit: Marion County Sheriff's Office

OCALA, Fla. — Deputies say an infant is in critical condition with injuries that indicate she was abused. And, a man is charged with aggravated child abuse and other charges. 

Marion County deputies on Dec. 20 were called to the hospital about a hurt infant. Hospital staff informed detectives the baby girl had a brain bleed and bruises on her body from a "traumatic injury." Further medical examination showed her injuries were consistent with violent shaking, the sheriff's office said. 

Detectives say they interviewed the baby's mother, who told them 36-year-old Christopher Bairan had been with her daughter for several hours overnight. She reportedly woke up to him calling her name when the baby became unresponsive.

Detectives then spoke with Bairan, who they said told them the baby had been "whiny and fussy" the day before but was otherwise behaving normally. He told detectives he'd fallen asleep with the baby in his arms, and when he woke up she wasn't responding, according to law enforcement.

When detectives brought the evidence of the abuse to Bairan, the sheriff's office said he refused to talk about the incident further. 

Detectives then arrested Bairan for aggravated child abuse. During his arrest, detectives say they found cocaine and prescription pills with him. The sheriff's office says he was also on probation for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and impersonating a police officer.

He was booked into jail without bond. 

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