Jonas Neiderbach and Jherica Richardson (WHO) |
A seven-week-old is in critical but stable condition and his parents are behind bars, accused of seriously injuring the infant. The child's parents, Jonas Neiderbach and Jherica Richardson have been charged with child endangerment.
At their first court appearance Wednesday morning, a judge set a $50,000 bond for both Neiderbach and Richardson and also enforced a no-contact order against their son, Ethan Neiderbach. A preliminary hearing date was set for July 24th.
Police say Ethan Neiderbach visited the hospital twice since June 18th. DHS and Des Moines Police became suspicious when Ethan was brought in with a broken arm. The Polk County attorney's office filed endangerment charges after the boy arrived at the hospital again three weeks later.
Medical staff at Blank Children's Hospital determined injuries Ethan suffered on July 8th were no accident. He was initially brought to Methodist Medical Center not breathing and doctors revived him and diagnosed his injuries as trauma to the head and a broken rib.
Around 5:20 Tuesday afternoon, Ethan's parents turned themselves in to Des Moines Police.
Ethan Neiderbach's grandfather, former Des Moines School Board member Jon Neiderbach, issued this statement about Ethan on his Facebook page:
"Ethan is showing signs of improvement -- stable vital signs, return of some reflexes, displeasure and higher heart rate when worked on by the nurses -- but still has a huge way to go, and the outcome is unknown. The Neiderbachs thank you for your prayers and thoughts, it is clear they are having an effect, and asks that you continue with them: he needs many many more to walk down the road to recovery."
At their first court appearance Wednesday morning, a judge set a $50,000 bond for both Neiderbach and Richardson and also enforced a no-contact order against their son, Ethan Neiderbach. A preliminary hearing date was set for July 24th.
Police say Ethan Neiderbach visited the hospital twice since June 18th. DHS and Des Moines Police became suspicious when Ethan was brought in with a broken arm. The Polk County attorney's office filed endangerment charges after the boy arrived at the hospital again three weeks later.
Medical staff at Blank Children's Hospital determined injuries Ethan suffered on July 8th were no accident. He was initially brought to Methodist Medical Center not breathing and doctors revived him and diagnosed his injuries as trauma to the head and a broken rib.
Around 5:20 Tuesday afternoon, Ethan's parents turned themselves in to Des Moines Police.
Ethan Neiderbach's grandfather, former Des Moines School Board member Jon Neiderbach, issued this statement about Ethan on his Facebook page:
"Ethan is showing signs of improvement -- stable vital signs, return of some reflexes, displeasure and higher heart rate when worked on by the nurses -- but still has a huge way to go, and the outcome is unknown. The Neiderbachs thank you for your prayers and thoughts, it is clear they are having an effect, and asks that you continue with them: he needs many many more to walk down the road to recovery."
