By Abbey Niezgoda
aniezgoda@abc6.com
A New Bedford newborn is fighting for his life tonight and police say he was hurt in the hands of his father.
Tristan Walker had just celebrated the birth of his baby boy 6 weeks ago, but it was when he was celebrating his own 25th birthday, that police say tragedy struck.
They were called to his apartment on Coggeshall Street on July 29th in response to a child who was not breathing. It was there that Walker told police he was bouncing the child up and down to burp him without supporting his head.
He also said he had been smoking marijuana at his birthday party the night before, and he was not sure if he was still high when he went to feed his son.
"He panicked. I truly believe he panicked," Walker's friend and neighbor Anthony said.
He did not want to give his full name, but he says it was all an accident.
"He made a mistake and he just didn't know," Anthony said. "Because if you'd seen him and watched him glow while he was holding that baby man, you would know."
The baby is at Hasbro Children's Hospital. Walker is in custody on a charge of assault and battery, but that could be upgraded to manslaughter or murder if the 6 week old baby does not make it.
Walker is being held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing Wednesday.
