Dover man arrested for allegedly breaking baby girl's femur

Shaun Champey (Dover Police photo)

DOVER - A 29-year-old Dover man was arrested on Monday in the assault of an infant in his care.

Shaun Champey was charged with first degree assault for allegedly breaking the female baby's femur, as well as endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly not taking her to a health care facility to be treated.

Police say the incident unfolded on March 17 when Dover Police and the Division of Children, Youth, and Families were notified by Wentworth-Douglass Hospital staff of a suspicious injury to an infant female.

The victim had been brought to the hospital by her mother and was determined to have a fractured femur.

Detectives from the department's Special Investigations Unit, along with child protective workers from DCYF conducted an investigation at the hospital and determined that the injury was caused by Champey while he was caring for the baby.

In addition to recklessly causing the injury to the infant's leg, detectives determined this was not an isolated incident, and that Champey had violently shaken the baby on several occasions.

Champey received another count of child endangerment in the alleged shaking incident.

Dover detectives obtained a warrant for Champey's arrest, which was executed upon his surrendering at the Dover Police Department around 12:45 p.m. on Monday.

Champey was held in preventative detention and released to the custody of the Strafford County House of Corrections pending his arraignment at Strafford County Superior Court today.

Anyone with related information is asked to call the Dover Police Department at 603-742-4646. Anonymous tips may be called into the Dover Crimeline at 603-749-6000 or via www.dovernhcrimeline.org.