UPDATE: Beaten Woonsocket baby released from hospital

By: News Staff

news@abc6.com

Twitter: @ABC6

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The 5-month-old Woonsocket baby who police say was beaten by his babysitter is out of the hospital on Friday.

Jacob Wilder’s parents tell ABC 6 News their son was thankfully able to go home.

Police arrested 25-year-old Kristopher Bernier for repeatedly slapping the baby, who ended up with bruises to his face, a black eye, and a fractured skull.

The 25-year-old appeared in court Wednesday morning, but it was in relation to a separate child abuse case.

Bernier was arrested Sunday night after police say he admitted to losing it while babysitting for Wilder’s 5-month-old son.

The baby would not stop crying so he told police he slapped the infant repeatedly, but Wednesday Bernier’s court appearance was related to an incident in 2012 when he was charged with cruelty to or neglect of a child.

According to a police report, Bernier’s girlfriend’s daughter showed up to Hasbro with a massive bruise on her face and bruised ribs.

Her mother and Bernier told police she had fallen off a kitchen counter, but police and DCYF officials say the bruise on her face looked like a hand print.

On top of the girl’s injuries, the couple waited more than 24 hours to bring the child in for treatment so both Bernier and the child’s mother was charged.

That case was dismissed, but Bernier missed a court appearance so there was a warrant out for his arrest.

He is already being held on $25,000 bail with surety in connection to Sunday’s child abuse case.

©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2017