Texarkana man charged after 3-month-old suffers skull fracture in his care

A Texarkana man has been arrested after a 3-month-old girl suffered a skull fracture while in his care, the Texarkana Texas Police Department said.

Officers were called to CHRISTUS St. Michael Hospital on Thursday evening after the baby’s mother brought her in with a critical head injury. Doctors determined the infant had suffered a skull fracture, and she was airlifted that night to Arkansas Children’s Hospital for treatment.

Detective Seth Mahar and Detective Sergeant Brad Thacker began investigating and determined the injuries occurred while the baby was in the sole care of her mother’s 22-year-old boyfriend, Michael Cridell Jr.

Cridell was arrested Friday afternoon and charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury. He was booked into the Bi-State Jail, where his bond was set at $500,000.

The baby remains hospitalized in serious but stable condition.

Cridell has not been convicted. A charge is an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.