Indiana man accused of beating baby daughter until skull resembled 'cracked egg shell'

An Indiana father is accused of beating his nine-month old daughter so severely her skull was left looking like a "cracked egg shell".

Tosumba Welch, 19, of Linton, has been charged with neglect and domestic battery felony charges after police launched an investigation following the hospitalisation of his baby daughter.

Caela Welch was taken to the Greene County Hospital after she became unresponsive and began suffering seizures. Due to the severity of her injuries, the nine-month old baby was airlifted to Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis.

Caela was found to have suffered multiple skull fractures, which doctors described as like a "cracked egg shell" along with multiple brain bleeds and several healing rib fractures, according to Indiana State Police.

The girl had also suffered "non-accidental" injuries to her lower collar bone and a fracture to her left ankle that was described as a "classic jerk and yank" fracture consistent with signs of abuse.

During an investigation into the baby's injuries, Tosumba is alleged to have told police he had squeezed and punched Caela in the head since she was around four months old to try and get her to stop crying. He has since been charged three counts of domestic battery and one count of neglect of a dependant.

An Indiana State Police spokesperson said: "After being contacted by the Department of Child Services, Detectives with the Indiana State Police Criminal Investigation Division at the Bloomington Post began an inquiry related to severe injuries sustained to a nine month old infant in Greene County.

"On Sunday of this past week [27 August], Caela Welch was taken to the Greene County Hospital, unresponsive and having seizures. Due to the severity of her injuries, Caela was airlifted to Riley Hospital in Indianapolis and the medical staff contacted the Department of Child Services for a review.

"Testing at Riley Hospital discovered that Caela had multiple skull fractures which her Doctor described as a 'cracked egg shell', along with multiple brain bleeds. The worst of the bleeds was to the back of her skull where there was one on each side of her head along with swelling in the same areas.

"Caela also had several healing rib fractures. There were injuries to the lower part of her collar bone that were described by her doctor as 'non-accidental'."