A juvenile from Tippecanoe was recently arrested after the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department investigated a complaint from the Indiana Department of Child Services in reference to a possible child abuse incident on March 21.
The case surrounds several injuries sustained by a four month old child who was hospitalized with rib fractures which were deemed my medical professionals as non-accidental, according to the Probable Cause Affidavit. The court documents also state the child had other rib and sternum injuries that appeared to be in the process of healing and were inflicted prior to being admitted to the hospital. Doctors also documented fractures to the victim’s neck and soft tissue injuries, according to court documents.
Police talked with the father, 17-year-old Jacob Kats, who allegedly admitted to police that he has had anger issues for a long time and caused the injuries due to the infant’s constant crying he told police, according to the Probable Cause Affidavit.
Kats was been charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery, and neglect of a dependent resulting in serious injury. Kats appeared for an initial hearing in adult court in Marshall County Superior Court 1 this week. Attorney Alex Hoover was appointed as his pauper counsel.
Suspects are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
