Waukesha County Sheriff\'s Office

WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) - A 21-year-old Waukesha man is facing multiple felony charges after prosecutors say his 1-month-old son suffered severe injuries that medical experts say were inconsistent with his explanation.

According to court records, Taejon D. Rhodes is charged with:

Physical Abuse of Child - Intentionally Cause Great Bodily Harm Up to 40 years in prison Up to $100,000 in fines

First-Degree Reckless Injury Up to 25 years in prison Up to $100,000 in fines

Bail Jumping Up to 9 months in prison Up to $10,000 in fines



The charges stem from an incident shortly before 12:45 a.m. on July 9, when the Waukesha Police Department responded to an apartment after the infant's mother called 911, reporting her baby had fallen and was not breathing.

When officers arrived, they found the infant, the child's mother, and Rhodes inside the apartment. Police reported the baby had a strong heartbeat but was struggling to breathe, taking only occasional gasping breaths. Officers also observed purple and yellow bruising around the baby's eyes and significant swelling to the left side of the head and face.

The infant was rushed to a hospital for treatment.

According to the criminal complaint, the child's mother told investigators she had been in the kitchen cooking and did not witness a fall. She said Rhodes came out of the bedroom and told her the baby had fallen off the bed, prompting them to call 911.

Rhodes also told officers the infant had  rolled off the bed,  causing the injuries.

On July 16, detectives met with medical staff at Children's Wisconsin, who provided an update on the child's condition. According to the complaint, the infant suffered a skull fracture, a brain bleed, multiple areas of cranial bleeding, bleeding along the spine, intraventricular bleeding, bleeding on both kidneys and elevated liver enzymes.

Medical experts told investigators Rhodes' explanation was not consistent with the extent of the injuries. According to the complaint, doctors said the bleeding to both kidneys indicated a  penetrative  injury that would likely resul

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