Baby found with fractured skull after officers tackle fleeing dad, California cops say

Officers tackle a fleeing man to the ground after a wild car and foot chase — and then hear a 10-month-old baby in his arms begin to cry, Los Angeles Police Department videos show.

“You kidding me?” an officer says in a graphic video of the Feb. 11 incident released Sunday, March 13. The child suffered a fractured skull.

Police are investigating how the child, who also was involved in a car crash a short time earlier, became injured, but use of force cannot be ruled out, said spokesman Capt. Stacy Spell.

The child also tested positive for cocaine and fentanyl, Spell said.

A silver Jeep Wrangler driven by Josue Huerta, 25, of Los Angeles crashed into a flatbed truck at 11:21 p.m. Feb. 11 as gang enforcement officers conducted a nearby traffic stop, Spell said.

Huerta drove off as officers approached, beginning an 11-minute chase.

He jumped out of the vehicle and dashed away from police through a park into a neighborhood, Spell said. An officer tackled Huerta onto a grass lawn.

“Unbeknownst to any officer, the suspect was holding a 10-month-old infant,” Spell said. Huerta, the child’s father, was arrested without further incident.

Body cam videos posted by police show several officers pursuing Huerta down a path and onto a sidewalk.

“I got him. I got him. I got him,” shouts one as he passes the other officers.

“Stop. Police. Stop,” the officer shouts before tackling Huerta.

“I’m sorry but I’m trying to take him home,” Huerta says as the child begins crying.

Huerta faces charges including felony child abuse, evading and possession of narcotics for sale, Spell said. He was also charged with a misdemeanor count of hit and run.

Spell said the investigation of the incident may take up to a year to complete.

This story was originally published March 15, 2022 at 10:32 AM with the headline "Baby found with fractured skull after officers tackle fleeing dad, California cops say."