Charges were filed Sunday morning in the killing of a three-month-old Bridgeport boy. Joel Bainter died Thursday from blunt force trauma caused by child abuse, police said.
The baby's mother and father, 18-year-old April Bainter and 18-year-old Joel Ballard, were each charged with aggravated battery of a child and endangering the life of a child.
The couple lived together with the baby in the the 900 block of West 32nd Place. The baby was taken to Mercy Hospital Wednesday evening with multiple fractures to the ribs and a fractured skull, according to police.
The child was pronounced dead at 9 a.m. Thursday at Children's Memorial Hospital, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office said.
An autopsy on Friday found Joel Bainter died of multiple injuries from blunt force trauma caused by child abuse and his death was ruled a homicide, according to the medical examiner's office.
DCFS is investigating allegations of abuse against both Joel’s mother and father, agency spokesman Kendall Marlowe said.
DCFS has not had prior contact with the family and there are no other children in the home, Marlowe said.
Local
Wentworth Area detectives are investigating.
