TROY - A 26-year-old man admitted to taking out his frustrations on his 4-month-old child and causing so much brain damage that the boy is on life support.
District Attorney Richard McNally said it's likely just a matter of time before the support is removed and when that does happen, the charges against Adrian Thomas will be upped from attempted murder to homicide.
"We'll elevate those charges as soon as we get the appropriate documentation," McNally said.
In statements made to police Tuesday, Thomas admitted to slamming the baby, Matthew Thomas, down three times after fighting with his wife.
"I was at home arguing with my wife. The tension was building up and I got real mad. I had Matthew in my arms and he was crying. I walked into my bedroom and I slammed Mathew down on the bed," he said in a statement. "I was standing up and I slammed him down pretty hard."
Troy police were notified by the Rensselaer County Department Social Services on Saturday of an infant who had life threatening injuries to his head, said Assistant Chief Richard McAvoy. The investigation led them to 2441 21st Street in the Cedar Park apartments on Sunday where the alleged assault occured.
He said Adrian Thomas is 5-foot, 9-inches tall and weighs 500 pounds. He and his wife have five other children, including Mathew's twin, ages 9 years old to 4 months, who are all in protective custody now.
"You have a man five-foot-nine and weighs 500 pounds assaulting a 4-month-old child," McAvoy said. "It's just awful."
McAvoy said when Thomas' wife realized there as something wrong she called 911. As of 5 p.m. Tuesday the child was still on life support at Albany Medical Center Hospital and the mother was at his side.
Bookmarks