Missouri Father Charged with Child Abuse After Infant Daughter Found with 14 Fractures
A 20-year-old father from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, faces child abuse charges after his 2-month-old daughter was found with 14 fractures and multiple bruises, according to authorities. Richard A. Leonard was arrested on Wednesday after police conducted a welfare check at the family’s home, a suburb of Kansas City.
The investigation began when Leonard and his wife took their infant daughter to a doctor’s appointment, where bruising on her body raised concerns. Medical staff advised the couple to take the child to a hospital, but they refused, prompting the doctor to report the case to the Department of Family Services (DFS).
Police visited the family’s home and found the infant seemingly content in her mother’s arms. However, the parents later brought her to the hospital that evening. Doctors discovered fractures on her arms, legs, ribs, and fingers, as well as bruises on her shoulder, face, and back. Medical experts described the injuries as “classic abuse” rather than accidental.
Initially, Leonard claimed he had dropped the baby after tripping. He later amended his story, saying he had fallen on top of her. However, doctors stated these explanations did not account for the widespread injuries, which were in various stages of healing.
Under questioning, Leonard admitted to abusing the child, referred to as V1 in court documents. He acknowledged using “more force than necessary” during routine tasks like dressing, swaddling, and diaper changes, citing the infant’s resistance and his own frustration. Leonard attributed his actions to stress from sleeplessness, constant crying, and personal anger issues. He also revealed a history of childhood abuse, which he said had recently caused him to revert to harmful stress-coping behaviors.
The mother, who has been with Leonard since late 2023, stated she did not believe he was capable of harming their daughter but maintained that she had not caused the injuries. The couple had recently moved into a new home, which Leonard said added to his stress.
Following his arrest, Leonard was taken to the Jackson County Correctional Facility and later released on a $50,000 bond. A judge has prohibited him from contacting his wife or child while out on bond. DFS has taken custody of the infant.
Leonard is scheduled to appear in court on Monday as the investigation continues.