Portsmouth, Va. - A Portsmouth father faces felony child abuse and assault charges after allegedly abusing his 11-day-old son while the infant was in the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP).
Police say the alleged assault happened in the early morning hours Friday morning.
Portsmouth police, Special Victims Detectives, and Child Protective Services began an investigation at approximately 1:10 p.m. after Medical staff at NMCP informed them of the abuse.
Agents with Naval Criminal Investigative Services also responded and assisted.
Medical staff reported that sometime between the hours of 1:30 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. the 11-day-old baby boy received bruising to his body, including visible contusions on his back and face, while the baby was in the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit.
Police have charged 21-year-old Matthew Wayne Strawn of Portsmouth with one count of felony child abuse and one count of felonious assault.
