A Charlotte County couple is facing charges after an infant in their care had to be taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Charlotte County detectives were called to Golisano's Children's Hospital in Fort Myers on March 24.
According to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, the infant had several injuries, including bleeding in the brain, multiple skull fractures, a stroke and more. Staff told them that the infant was in "extremely critical condition" and was in emergency surgery when they arrived.
Detectives then interviewed Shona Hochsprung, 22, and Alexander Ransom, 24, separately to get details about what happened.
According to a CCSO news release, both of them had different explanations about how the infant suffered the injuries, and their stories were inconsistent.
Detectives said Hochsprung told them she rolled over onto the baby while asleep, but woke up immediately after the child started crying. However, hospital staff said that was not a viable explanation for the infant's injuries.
CCSO determined Ransom and Hochsprung agreed they were the only two people with the child at the time of the infant's injuries and that it occurred at their Port Charlotte home on Sunday, March 23.
According to CCSO, investigators found Ransom made internet searches, including, "dent in baby forehead" and "do babies snore?" at approximately 5 p.m. on March 23.
CCSO said this indicated Ransom was aware of the injuries and did not seek medical attention for the infant until the next day.
Ransom and Hochsprung were arrested and are facing charges of child neglect with great bodily harm. Both of them are being held without bond.
According to the CCSO news release, the child underwent successful surgery but is facing a long road to recovery and is expected to have significant medical issues for the duration of their life.