Correction – This story has been changed from the original to identify Laroche not as a nurse but as a certified nursing assistant.
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A 22-year-old man was arrested after a 3-month-old was brought into an emergency room with a broken femur and bruising on her abdomen, Indian River County deputies said.
David Paul Laroche, of the 1000 block of 10th Lane, Indian River County, was charged with aggravated child abuse. He is being held at the Indian River County Jail on $200,000 bond.
David Laroche
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Deputies responded about noon Thursday to an emergency room at the Indian River Medical Center, 1000 36th Street, Gifford. Deputies spoke with the mother at the hospital, who said she didn’t know what happened to her child.
She said the child would not stop crying, so she took the child to the hospital. The mother said the only other person around the child that day was Laroche, her fiance, deputies said.
She said Laroche works at the Indian River Medical Center and was on his way to see the child. Laroche is a certified nursing assistant, according to the Florida Department of Health.
When he arrived, Laroche also told deputies he didn’t know how the child got the severe injuries.
A deputy told the mother and Laroche that the child’s injuries were consistent with child abuse.
The child was taken to Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando for treatment because of her serious femur injury, deputies said. The mother and Laroche were taken to the Sheriff’s Office for further questioning.
Laroche told a deputy that the bruising on the child’s abdomen was from him tickling her too hard. He also said that at one point, he and the mother of the child were arguing over a past due bill.
Laroche said he became agitated, went to pick up the child from the crib and accidentally dropped her, causing her to hit the side of the crib and fall to the floor, deputies said. The mother said she saw Laroche drop the child and saw the child hit her head, but said she didn’t see the child fall to the floor.
Laroche also said that on Oct. 3, he was feeding the child at his home when the child was being fussy and not cooperating. Laroche said he became agitated, grabbed the child’s right thigh and squeezed it until the child began to scream and cry.
The child remained hospitalized Thursday from her injuries.
Vero News does not identify the relationship between the defendant and victim in child abuse cases.