Largo Man Charged With Aggravated Child Abuse of His Infant

A Largo man is charged with child abuse after his 5-month-old infant suffers severe head trauma while in his care. 

Michael Alan Hopkins, 32, told Largo police the infant’s injuries occurred when the child rolled off the couch and fell onto the carpeted floor.

Hopkins later confessed to detectives that he was angry over the infant’s fall and "violently" picked up the infant, said Lt. Edward Sohoski of .

Detectives say Hopkins told them he "violently" struck the infant's head on a wooden crib railing then forcibly grabbed the infant from the crib, thrusting the child’s head backwards.

Hopkins was home alone with the infant at time this occurred. When he noticed that the child was injured he called the infant’s mother, but was unable to get a hold of her, Sohoski said. He then called her parents who came to the home.

The family contacted an on-call pediatrician firm and were advised to take the infant to the emergency room.

The infant suffered a basal skull fracture, brain hemorrhage and retinal hemorrhage.  

The infant was admitted to the Morton Plan Hospital emergency room in Clearwater and later transferred to All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg due to the severity of the injuries.

Hopkins was charged with aggravated child abuse and his being held in Pinellas County Jail with no bond.

Largo police said Hopkins recently moved to Largo from Connecticut. At this time there is no known criminal history, officials said.

Officials don’t know the extent of the damage the infant has suffered, but Sohoski said, “They are still running tests. I will tell you that the injuries were severe.”