Baby taken off life support, police investigating death
A 4-month-old baby was taken off life support Monday dying in an Alabama hospital.
The baby's family in Warren is demanding answers, even blaming each other, while police down south investigate.
Gene McInvale was admitted to a hospital on Christmas day. Gene was put on life support from which he would never recover.
His family says the child was abused most of his life.
"He has a skull fracture, three fractured ribs, bruising around his legs," said Kathryn Horle, baby Gene's aunt. "And we just found out he is legally blind."
One side of the family blames the father, James McInvale, Jr. but he said he left Warren for Alabama because his wife's family was "toxic"
"A few months before I moved back down, my son was being abused," McInvale said.
The child's aunt said the mother, Susan McInvale, tried to get a personal protection order against her husband James. But the family says a judge denied it
"(Police) stated that there isn't enough substantial evidence," Horle said. "But the thing is domestic abuse is not only physical, it's emotional, it's mental."
So what happened once the child was in Alabama?
"My ex-girlfriend says it was an accident," James McInvale said.
FOX 2: "Do you believe her?"
"I don't know honestly," McInvale said. "I said why didn't you tell the police, she said because she was scared."
McInvale says he was out of the house fixing a flat tire when the baby was hurt. He says his ex-girlfriend was watching baby Gene.
"She told me he hit his head on the side of the bedroom door," he said.
The baby's family in Warren is demanding answers, even blaming each other, while police down south investigate.
Gene McInvale was admitted to a hospital on Christmas day. Gene was put on life support from which he would never recover.
His family says the child was abused most of his life.
"He has a skull fracture, three fractured ribs, bruising around his legs," said Kathryn Horle, baby Gene's aunt. "And we just found out he is legally blind."
One side of the family blames the father, James McInvale, Jr. but he said he left Warren for Alabama because his wife's family was "toxic"
"A few months before I moved back down, my son was being abused," McInvale said.
The child's aunt said the mother, Susan McInvale, tried to get a personal protection order against her husband James. But the family says a judge denied it
"(Police) stated that there isn't enough substantial evidence," Horle said. "But the thing is domestic abuse is not only physical, it's emotional, it's mental."
So what happened once the child was in Alabama?
"My ex-girlfriend says it was an accident," James McInvale said.
FOX 2: "Do you believe her?"
"I don't know honestly," McInvale said. "I said why didn't you tell the police, she said because she was scared."
McInvale says he was out of the house fixing a flat tire when the baby was hurt. He says his ex-girlfriend was watching baby Gene.
"She told me he hit his head on the side of the bedroom door," he said.
Note the change from "said" to "told"--this is inconsistent and may indicate deception on the part of the subject.
The next morning, he said Gene wouldn't eat.
"I tried to give him a bottle," McInvale said. "And he won't take a bottle from me and that is when he collapsed in my arms."
That's when he was admitted and Susan McInvale was notified to come to come down to Alabama.
"I took him from her, she knew about it," James McInvale said. "She didn't do anything to get him back."
It was the mother who ultimately decided to end life support, fearing there no hope for recovery.
Now the child's aunt is hoping police in Alabama will focus the investigation on the father.
"He's a monster," Horle said. "I'm glad he's in Alabama and if he gets prosecuted he will get the death penalty. I hope he fries for it."
update:
Dadeville Police Department investigators have arrested a 23-year-old man who they believe caused injuries on Christmas Day that left his 4-month-old son on life support.
James Edward McInvale Jr., 23, of Davis Circle in Jacksons Gap is in the Tallapoosa County Jail, charged with second-degree domestic violence assault and aggravated child abuse.
A judge has set the total bond for McInvale at $250,000.
Investigators say that they were called to a residence on Christmas Day in response to an unresponsive 4-month-old child.
There they found a child with injuries so severe that he was flown to Children’s Medical Center in Birmingham.
Dadeville Police Department Assistant Chief Chris Martin would not elaborate on the injuries the child suffered, only saying the boy suffered multiple injuries.
“This is an ongoing investigation and it wouldn’t be proper to give any further details,” Martin said. “But I will say that that this is one of the worst cases I have ever seen and I will leave it at that.”
Information reported by family members said that as of late Monday, the child was in grave condition and on life support.
Officials at Children’s Medical Center said Monday night that they had no information on the child that could be released.
While family members contacted did not have any additional information about the child’s condition, social media posts in the hundreds asked for continued prayers for the little boy.
Martin would not comment on what evidence led to the arrest on the infant’s father or any details of how the injuries may have occurred.
“Due to the investigative discoveries and uncovered evidence in the case, an arrest has been made and the charges are what we have at this time,” Martin said.
“That’s not to say that things couldn’t change if circumstances dictate. The case is still ongoing and being vigorously investigated at this point.”
No additional information was released, but a search of court records showed that McInvale has guilty pleas from 2012 for harassing communications
and promotion of prison contraband. Records indicate that he received probation on those charges.
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