Wentzville police are calling this one of the worst cases of child abuse their department has ever seen.?
19-year-old Robert Burnette and 20-year-old Megan Hendricks are charged with neglect and causing serious emotional or physical injury to their six-week-old son.
Officers say Burnette was tired of his son crying, so he stuck his fingers down the infant's throat then shook him violently while Hendricks watched.?
That baby is in critical but stable condition. Doctors say his recovery chances are low and if he does survive, he will have extreme lifelong physical and mental disabilities. A fact that has local moms traveling more than 200 miles for a peaceful protest in support of the infant fighting for his life.
"If I saw Keegan like that, I would bawl. That would be the death of whoever put their hands on my son," Taylor Seyler said. She is joining several others making the trip in hopes of justice for that baby boy. Tara Rhodelander added, "He can't speak for himself. All he's known for the first six weeks of his life is abuse."?
More than 500 people are expected to gather at the St. Charles County Courthouse on Tuesday morning as Burnette and Hendricks make their first court appearance. They are being held on a $500,000 and $250,000 bond respectively.
41 Action News reached out to Rochelle Parker, executive director of the Child Abuse Prevention Association to find out what parents in distress can do before it gets out of hand. Parker said, "Talk to someone. Try to get a support system around you. Find friends who are parents."
Another tool is the United Way of Greater Kansas City 211 Program. You can find out more about it here.
