STILLWATER—Minnesota prosecutors say a Woodbury father intentionally dropped his 4-month-old son headfirst on the floor because the baby was crying and fussy.
Thirty-six-year-old Matthew Hoisser is charged with second-degree murder in the April death of his son, Gus Christian.
A criminal complaint says Hoisser told investigators he was frustrated because the baby was “being difficult,” so he dropped him.
The child died of blunt force trauma several days later at the Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis.
Hoisser also told investigators he was not always “super gentle” with the 4-month-old, calling him a “difficult baby that had colic and was consistently fussy,” according to the Facebook page The Voice For The Voiceless.
He told investigators, he experienced times he was very short-tempered with the baby, WCCO4 News reported.
The child’s obituary stated that “Gus was a sweet, beautiful baby, a source of joy to his parents, and beloved by all who knew him.”
The Voice For The Voiceless reported that the boy’s mother took her son the morning after the incident to his home childcare provider, telling the provider that the baby had only taken 2.5 ounces of formula and was “fussier than usual.”
The childcare provider also found Gus to be “limp and quiet after changing his diaper.”
After the provider found out later that the child was having breathing problems, she decided to call 911, according to the station.
After the call, Gus was transported to a nearby hospital and later transferred to the Minnesota hospital. He died five days later.
After a CT scan, doctors determined the baby had head trauma, and doctors said the infant would be permanently blind, deaf and immobile. The child was removed from life support on April 30, WCCO4 News reported.
Previous Injury
“According to investigators, Hoisser also admitted the baby’s head hit a portion of uncarpeted floor a few weeks prior to April 25,” the station reported.
He was examined and the baby’s doctor said he had an ulcer on his soft palate and hand, foot and mouth disease, the complaint states.
According to the complaint, Gus acted normal during the following days, until the incident happened.
No-Contact Order
The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports a Washington County judge also ordered Hoisser to have no contact with his wife, Nicole, who is pregnant.
Hoisser’s attorney, John Leunig, says the order isn’t necessary because Hoisser’s wife supports him. A hearing on the no-contact order is scheduled Monday.
“Bail was set at $350,000 on Friday, Aug. 9 with the following conditions: no drug or alcohol use; submit to random drug testing; not possess any firearms or other deadly or dangerous weapons; remain law-abiding; make all future court appearances and have no contact with minors under the age of 18,” The Voice For The Voiceless reported.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
