2-month-old severely abused, likely to have irreversible brain damage; father arrested

A 24-year-old father is accused of abusing his 2-month-old son so badly that a neurologist believes the boy “would likely have irreversible brain damage,” according to court records.

Calvin Harbaugh III, of Xenia, is charged with felonious assault and endangering children stemming from the May 6 incident.

Xenia police responded to Harbaugh’s home in the 600 block of East Church Street.

“Calvin first denied knowledge of any possible way (the baby) got hurt,” court records read. “Calvin eventually admitted he lost his patience when (the baby) would not stop crying.”

Harbaugh told detectives he violently whipped the baby and bounced the child up and down.

“He admitted he did this very rough and stated (the baby’s) head was bouncing off his shoulder,” a detective wrote in court documents.

Harbaugh told police he walked away and when he returned to check on the baby, the child had thrown up and was unresponsive.

When the baby’s mother returned home, she called  911 and Harbaugh walked away from the house, the court records read. Harbaugh was upset with himself when police interviewed him about the incident.

The baby was still at Dayton Children’s Hospital on a ventilator Wednesday, according to detectives.