Gastonia man charged after girlfriend’s fourth-month-old-son hospitalized with skull fracture, bruises

GASTONIA, N.C. (WBTV) - The Gastonia Police Department has arrested a man for felony physical child abuse of his girlfriend’s fourth-month-old son.

Renaldo Johnson, 35, of Gastonia was charged with one count of physical child abuse.

Officers received a call around 5 p.m. on Nov. 26 that an infant was brought to the hospital by his mother and staff suspect physical child abuse.

During the investigation, detectives determined that the infant’s mother was at work during the day and her boyfriend was watching the infant.

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When the mother returned home from work, she noticed bruises on the infant and the boyfriend told her the baby fell off the couch. She immediately took the baby to the hospital.

A CT scan revealed the infant had a skull fracture and investigators said the baby’s injuries didn’t consist with the boyfriend’s account. The infant was transferred to Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital for advanced care.

When officers spoke with Johnson and attempted to identify him, he provided officers with a false name. Officers quickly determined Johnson’s true identity and discovered that he had four open warrants for his arrest.

He is being held on a $156,000 bond.

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