Grandmother Charged After Son Assaults 2-Month-Old In Montgomery County: Prosecutor
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Pa. (CBS) -- A Florida woman faces charges in Montgomery County after prosecutors say she failed to protect her 2-month-old grandson from her son, who was charged with allegedly trying to kill the child.
Michelle Rohloff, 63, of West Palm Beach, Fla., is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering another person. The charges relate to her son, Daniel Rohloff, and the severe beating of his 2-month-old.
The initial incident happened on July 27 when investigators with Upper Merion Township and Montgomery County responded to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The original call was for a child with "inflicted" injuries, according to the Montgomery County District Attorney. The 2-month-old had injuries to multiple organs, new and healing rib fractures, and bruising across his body.
Authorities learned the Montgomery County Office of Children and Youth had made multiple attempts to limit Rohloff's ability to have unsupervised contact with his son since his birth. In a court-approved decision, Michelle Rohloff moved into the family's home in June "for the sole purpose of supervising Daniel Rohloff at all times when he was around the baby."
During the July investigation, authorities found SD cards in Michelle Rohloff's suitcase. The cards included security footage from the night before the child was hospitalized. The footage showed Daniel Rohloff covering the camera with a towel. The baby then begins to scream.
Detectives say Michelle Rohloff was in her bedroom at the time, letting her son be alone with the baby.
"Michelle Rohloff affirmatively accepted the responsibility of protecting Landon. She had a legal duty of care to this vulnerable baby, and she violated that duty when she allowed Landon to be unsupervised with Daniel Rohloff." said First Assistant District Attorney Edward F. McCann, Jr. "As a result of her failures, this baby suffered serious bodily injury and required lifesaving medical treatment."
Michelle Rohloff was released on $25,000 bail.
