Arkansas man faces charges for role in Sikeston child's leg fracture

SIKESTON -- An Arkansas man faces a felony child endangerment charge for his alleged involvement in a Sikeston child's leg fracture.

Lamarr Addison, 26, of Trumann, Ark., is charged with felony first degree endangering the welfare of child by serious physical injury, according to online court records.

At 1:26 p.m. Friday officers with Sikeston Department of Public Safety responded to Missouri Delta Medical Center, 1008 N. Main St., in reference to a report of first-degree child abuse, according to DPS reports.

Officers made contact with the mother of the child-victim who believed Addison assaulted the child when he was babysitting for her. The mother said when she returned home, she noticed her son's leg was slightly swollen and bruised around the calf. Addison told her the child fell from a toddler bed which sat 1 to 1.5 feet from the ground. The woman told police her son didn't act like himself the rest of the day, not wanting to walk or sit upright. The next morning he acted the same so she took him to the hospital where the examining doctor believed the leg was fractured and ordered a CT scan and other X-rays.

Results showed the child's fibula, or lower leg bone, was fractured, according to reports. The physician said the chances of the fracture occurring from falling out of the small bed were unlikely and that type of break could only happen if the leg was trapped or if the child had fallen from a greater distance. It also appeared the child was struck from the fibula side and didn't appear to have other injuries.

Officers made contact with Addison, who said while watching the child, he told him to get his diaper bag and bring him wipes to change his diaper. When the child stood up and started running around the room screaming, Addison told police he "popped" the child once on the right leg with his open hand and then he told the child to stop crying for no reason. Addison was subsequently arrested.

Bond was set at $50,000 cash or surety bond, and he remained in the Scott County Jail as of Tuesday. He was also set to be arraigned at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in Scott County.