Police: Man dropped, fell on infant during Southern Pines chase
SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. (WTVD) -- Police have charged a man with a long list of crimes after a foot chase in which he allegedly first dropped and then fell on a 6-week-old infant.
The incident began around 9:45 p.m. Tuesday in the 16-hundred block of Richards Street when police got a report of a disturbance and that an infant had been taken from a home.
When officers arrived, a woman reported that 22-year-old Deontea Zequan Ray had hit her and left with the baby. Ray is the baby's father.
Officers later spotted Ray in a car on Murray Hill Road, but he got out and ran. Police said it appears he either dropped or threw the infant over a 7-foot fence before climbing over it.
He then climbed another 6-foot fence while carrying the child and then fell on top of it.
Police said they couldn't use a Taser because Ray was carrying the baby.
Officers continued to chase Ray and finally captured him behind a Waffle House restaurant in the 15-hundred block of U.S. 1.
"There were opportunities for our officers to deploy tasers but because of the close proximity between the officers and the suspect with the baby being present, that absolutely could not take place," said Robert Temme, Chief of the Southern Pines Police Department.
The baby was found to be bloody and unresponsive after the ordeal. The infant was flown to another hospital for advanced medical treatment after initially being taken to Moore County Regional Hospital.
Ray allegedly tried to escape while being taken to the Southern Pines Police Department for processing and again while in a detention facility at the police department. Police said he continued to be violent and combative all the way to the Moore County Detention Facility.
He's charged with assault on a female, resisting a public officer (two counts), second-degree trespassing and felony child abuse causing severe bodily injury.
Ray's mother and the baby's mother, although unwilling to go on camera at the advice of their attorney, defended Ray, saying he only ran from police because he was threatened with a gun.
"I can stand here and there's no room for political correctness here. I can tell you that that is absolutely incorrect and an out lie. We've conducted an internal investigation that is now taking place. The police officers did not point a gun at the suspect causing him to run, the police officers did not tase the suspect, in the best interest of the baby," Temme said. "I'm not quite sure where the family is getting that information, but I'd be remiss as Chief of Police here to (not) tell you that."
The family's attorney also advised against sharing photos of the infant with the media. The photos show the child with several scratches across his forehead that look to be the result of brushes with limbs.
Temme praised his officers for rescuing the baby which he said is expected to make a full recovery.
"I fully anticipate presenting recognition awards to the officers who were involved in this case. Our community should be extremely proud of the Southern Pines Police Department today," he said.
