WEST HAVEN — Police arrested a man who they said tried to smother a toddler and then squeezed the baby tightly against his chest.
Shortly after 1 a.m. Monday, police were called to a home on North Place in West Haven for a domestic dispute involving a 21-month-old child. The child’s mother had called police saying the child’s father, her boyfriend Lamar Heyward, had arrived home and put a pillow on top of the child who was sleeping. The child’s mother said Heyward was addicted to PCP.
Authorities said he picked the child up squeezing her tight against his chest. The mother said she could not get Heyward to stop squeezing the child. A roommate also tried to help stop Heyward.
When police arrived, they found Heyward still holding the child and squeezing her. He refused the officer’s directions and had to be forcefully separated from the child. Police said he continued to resist officers and after a brief struggle, police were able to take the child.
The child was taken to Yale Pediatric Hospital for treatment but only had minor injuries to her face from the squeezing.
Heyward was arrested for risk of injury to a child, reckless endangerment, interfering with police, and disorderly conduct. He was held on bond.
