SALINE CO.—An Eldorado man has been jailed after authorities say he shook a nine-month-old hard enough to cause brain and retinal bleeding.
Authorities say that on Tuesday, December 11, nine-month-old Drayden Hess was transported to the hospital in Eldorado for treatment of a possible head injury.
According to Illinois State Police Special Agents Greg Chance and Stacy Kinter, the infant’s mother 18-year-old Jessica Hess had left her infant with her boyfriend 22-year-old Adam Foster Zappa, of 1107 Garfield St., Apt., A, Eldorado, when she went to the Dollar Store for a brief time.
After being examined at the local hospital, Drayden was flown to the St. Louis Children’s Hospital for further treatment.
Investigators said doctors informed them that Drayden was suffering from a subdural hematoma and retinal hemorrhage.
The infant’s injuries, according to medical experts, were said to be consistent with “abusive head trauma.”
When interviewed by investigators Zappa first told them that Drayden had fallen off the couch and struck his head when roughhousing and being just a rowdy baby.
Seven days later, armed with doctor’s reports, investigators re-interviewed Mr. Zappa.
“Zappa confessed to shaking Drayden,” Kinter said. “Zappa said Drayden became unresponsive following him shaking Drayden.”
Mr. Zappa was taken into custody and charged with one count of Aggravated Battery of a Child.
The couple both have minor previous run-ins with the law including Jessica Hess being convicted Dec. 3, 2012 for Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Adam Zappa was convicted May 16, 2011 on a drug charge, February 6, 2012 of Battery and has an outstanding charge of Disorderly Conduct pending against him from April 2012.
Zappa was housed in the county detention facility on $10,000 cash bond.