Left: Jasper Shick. Right: Sarah Rediker (Nassau County Sheriff’s Office).
A Florida couple is facing serious criminal charges following allegations of severe child abuse after the father reportedly fractured their 6-month-old child’s femur during a diaper change. Authorities claim the father applied excessive force, causing the injury, and that both parents were aware of the harm but did not seek immediate medical attention.
The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office announced on Facebook that 34-year-old Jasper Shick and 36-year-old Sarah Rediker have been charged with felonies related to the incident. Shick is charged with aggravated child abuse and allegedly provided false information to investigators. Rediker faces charges of child neglect and filing a false child abuse report. The case came to light after the infant’s grandmother brought the baby, who had a broken femur, to a hospital.
According to the sheriff’s office, medical staff informed authorities on Monday night about the baby’s severe injuries, which required surgery. Detectives then visited the Fernandina Beach home where the child and parents resided, with the grandmother’s permission to enter.
Inside the residence, law enforcement discovered concerning conditions, including a crib placed inside a closet, empty alcohol containers scattered across the main bedroom, and items associated with marijuana use within easy reach of the infant.
The sheriff’s office reported finding small torches, camping propane tanks, bongs, and containers holding loose marijuana accessible to the child. The investigation indicates the incident occurred around 7 p.m. on Monday when the baby, who was teething, became fussy during a diaper change.
“Small torches, camping propane tanks, bongs, and containers with loose marijuana were also within the victim’s reach,” the sheriff’s office says. “The investigation revealed that the suspects were attempting to change a diaper around 7 p.m. on Monday when the victim became fussy because they are teething.”
Police allege that Shick “squeezed the child so tight, he knew he had hurt the child.” The couple did nothing, and it was the baby’s grandmother who ultimately brought the infant to the hospital after she arrived at their home around 10 p.m., cops say.
“Detectives later learned the father had drank and smoked marijuana before the incident,” the sheriff’s office says.
Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper described the case as “heartbreaking,” with the alleged abuse being inflicted on a “defenseless baby,” per the top cop.
“Protecting children, especially at this most vulnerable age, is my top priority,” Leeper said in a statement.
Shick and Rediker were both being held on $75,000 and $50,000 bond, respectively, after being arrested and charged on Tuesday. A no-contact order has been filed against both of them, according to online court records.
