ALBANY, N.Y. - The father of the baby who is now blind in both eyes after the mother's boyfriend injured the baby, is now speaking out to NEWS10.
Police say the 14-month-old baby girl, Leah Phelps, was blinded in both eyes at the hands of her mother's new boyfriend at their home in Rensselaer County.
Authorities arrested 30-year-old Asa Madsen of Sand Lake on Friday in connection with the retinal hemorrhages Leah suffered.
Madsen was arraigned Saturday morning on
the charges of Reckless Assault of a Child, a felony, and Criminal Contempt in the 2nd-degree, a misdemeanor, after he harmed his
girlfriend's 14-month-old baby while living with her sometime prior to
Tuesday afternoon.
The 9-1-1 call was placed by a neighbor, who
claims the mother said the baby slipped and fell in the bathtub hitting
her head and causing a concussion. However, police prompted an
investigation.
"The injuries the child sustained which were
quite serious did not seem to be consistent with the explanation given
by the care taker, as a rule that's a red flag we will usually look into
to find out if there is any criminality in the child's injuries," said
Captain John Cooney of the Troy Police Department.
The baby's father, Bill Phelps, did not live with her, however tells NEWS10 he had a very close relationship with his child. Phelps said last few days have been tough and he has been at the hospital everyday. His focus is now on her recovery.
"She hears your voice and she basically goes to it, but there is no sight at this point," Phelps explains to NEWS10.
Phelps says he was first told by Leah's mother that the baby had hit her head in the tub.
Phelps explains Leah's mother was worried how police would respond to the order of protection she already had against Madsen. "She was afraid to tell the truth because she had a full stay away order from Asa and she
thought she was going to go to jail by having him in the house."
Police say Madsen was living in that home despite the order of protection.
However, this isn't Madsen's first run in with police. He had previously been arrested on animal cruelty charges under Buster's Law.
Phelps says he believes Madsen has been violent toward Leah before. "The last time I was there, the baby had bruises all over her face, and when I asked why that was, [the mother] said it is because she's just learning to walk and she's hitting her face," he tells NEWS10.
Phelps says Leah should be released from Albany Med by Wednesday, but because of her injuries doctors will have to continue to care for her.
Phelps is now holding out hope that her vision can at least partially return.
Asa Madsen
NEWS10 ABC
