4-week-old suffers severe injuries, Hazel Park police say; Father faces abuse charges

A 20-year-old Hazel Park man is facing multiple child abuse charges after police say his 4-week-old baby suffered broken arms and legs, fractured ribs and extensive bruising.

Cody Patterson has been charged with three counts of child abuse in connection with the alleged abuse, which police say occurred at a home on East Milton Street in Hazel Park.

According to Hazel Park police, officers were called to the home Oct. 1 for a report of an infant with a broken arm. When officers arrived, they observed significant bruising on the baby, prompting the child to be taken to a nearby hospital for further evaluation.

At the hospital, medical staff discovered the extent of the baby's injuries, which police said included broken arms and legs, fractured ribs and bruising across the child's body and face. Court records indicate Patterson admitted to injuring the baby because he was unable to cope with the child crying.

Patterson was arrested at the hospital.

The allegations have stunned people living near the home where police say the abuse occurred.

"It's awful that anybody could bother a kid," Hazel Park resident Randall Coleman said. "Hopefully, they go to jail for a long time."

Another neighbor, who lives just a few houses away and asked not to be identified, described the allegations as "unbelievable" and "horrific."

"Anybody that can do that to a kid doesn't deserve to see the daylight," the neighbor said.

Neighbors said they struggled to understand how someone could allegedly inflict such serious injuries on a 4-week-old child.

"Very shocking, horrific," one neighbor said. "It's unimaginable. Who could imagine such a thing?"

Patterson remains in jail on a $500,000 cash bond and is scheduled to return to court next week.