A Pennsylvania fire chief has admitted hurling his infant daughter to the ground and fracturing her skull because she was crying, according to police.
Falls Township Fire Chief, Brian Salt, 36, allegedly 'lost control' when he could not stop his three-month-old baby from sobbing while his wife Rebecca was at work on March 11.
After throwing his baby, Salt took her to his in-law's house and told them he did not know how the baby sustained a bump on her head, a complaint obtained by NBC Philadelphia claims.
Salt and his wife then took their daughter to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where doctors discovered the child suffered a skull fracture. She also reportedly had bruises on her legs and blood in her eyes, LevittownNow reported.
Investigators were called to the hospital to look into the incident the next day. Doctors had determined the injuries were the result of 'substantial force,' according to the affidavit.
At first, both Salt and Rebecca said they had no idea how the baby was injured.
'The story was there was no story,' Falls Township Police Detective Dennis O'Connell told NBC.
But in a revealing follow-up interview, Salt reportedly admitted that he had lost his patience with his daughter, who was fussy and had colic. He then allegedly took the baby out of a swing she was in and harmed her.
O'Connell recalled: 'In his own words, he just lost control, lost his cool, and in the process of actually picking her up from a swing, took her out of the swing and then threw her to the ground.'
After the interview, Salt was arrested and charged with Felony Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Aggravated Assault on a Person Under 13 and Misdemeanor Simple Assault, LevittownNow reported. He was taken into custody at the Bucks County Corrections Center and his bail was set to $500,000. Salt has also been suspended from his role as fire chief.
In a statement shared on Facebook on Friday, Falls Township Fire Company #1 wrote: 'We are aware of the criminal charges involving Fire Chief Brian Salt.
'As a result, Chief Salt has been suspended indefinitely pending the outcome of the legal proceedings. During this challenging time, our thoughts and prayers are with the Salt family.
'We understand the impact this situation has on our community, and we are committed to ensuring transparency as we move forward.
'The safety and well-being of our community remain our top priority, and we will continue to support our firefighters and their families through this challenging time.'
Salt has been a fire chief since the beginning of the year, according to LevittownNow. The Falls Township Fire Company is one of three volunteer fire departments that serve Falls Township.
O'Connell said Salt also serves as a firefighter and EMT for the Northampton Township Fire Department.
'With his knowledge and training with the fire department, working also as a medic, he should clearly know how to deal with any kind of stressful situation, especially something of the this nature when it’s involving your own child,' the detective told NBC.
'These are tough cases. Obviously, this is a three-month-old which is the smallest of children you’re probably going to deal with.'
Salt is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on April 2.
