Riverside Deputy Charged With Child Abuse After Infant Girl Hospitalized With Skull Fracture

LOMA LINDA (CBSLA) – A Riverside County Sheriff's deputy was arrested on child abuse allegations after a 3-month-old girl was hospitalized in intensive care with a skull fracture and other injuries Monday.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department (SBSD) reports that the incident began when the girl was taken to a Beaver Medical Group facility in Redlands Monday with a skull fracture. She was then transported by ambulance to Loma Linda University Medical Center, where forensic pediatricians also found several other injuries consistent with child abuse, the sheriff's department said.

Authorities say the victim lived with 30-year-old Jason Gordon Wenker of Loma Linda. Following an investigation, Wenker was arrested Tuesday on one count of willful cruelty to a child. His relationship to the victim was not immediately disclosed. It's unclear whether Wenker or someone else first took the victim to seek medical care in Redlands.

The girl is being treated in the ICU. Her condition Wednesday was not confirmed.

The Riverside County Sheriff's Department confirmed to CBS2 that Wenker is a correctional deputy with their department. He has since been placed on administrative leave.

Wenker was booked and released after posting $100,000 bail. Anyone with information on the case should call SBSD detectives at 909-387-3615.