A Memphis man is in police custody after allegedly attacking his own infant son inside a local chicken wing restaurant early Saturday morning, leaving witnesses horrified.
What Happened
Police responded around 1 a.m. to Memphis Wings restaurant on North Hollywood Street after receiving a call about a man behaving erratically while holding a baby.
Officers arrived to find Jerry Stark, 34, screaming and panicking inside the restaurant. Witnesses and bystanders say Stark got down on the kitchen floor and began squeezing the infant tightly until the child turned blue.
Before bystanders could intervene, Stark allegedly bit the baby on the cheek.
Witnesses React
Patrons inside the restaurant managed to safely remove the baby from Stark. Video posted on Facebook, which has since received over 1 million views, shows people holding the restaurant door shut from outside.
“Seeing that baby face really broke my heart,” one witness wrote online.
Baby’s Condition
Paramedics transported the infant to a local hospital. The child was treated for a noncritical facial injury and is expected to recover.
Prior Incident Same Night
According to investigators, the child’s mother told police that Stark had pushed her out of a moving vehicle earlier that night and drove off with their son.
Stark was also seen at two nearby gas stations holding the child and asking people for help before entering the restaurant.
Arrest and Charges
Stark was taken into custody and booked into Shelby County Jail on a charge of domestic assault causing bodily harm. He is scheduled to appear in court Monday morning.
— Coverage by thecmeaglet.com
