Shocking news out of Frankfort as a man, Arien Ernest Fredrickson, 29, has been arrested and is being held on a hefty $1 million bond for allegedly physically abusing a newborn baby. The Frankfort police arrested Fredrickson on Monday and charged him with first-degree assault and first-degree criminal abuse on a child. He is set for a preliminary hearing in Franklin District Court on Tuesday.
The incident unfolded when the police responded to a distress call at an apartment on Louisville Road late Sunday night. Upon arrival, they encountered a four-week-old girl with blue lips, blue skin around her eyes, and a potentially obstructed airway. The baby was unresponsive and had serious injuries around her head and neck. She was quickly rushed to Frankfort Regional Medical Center and then to Kentucky Children’s Hospital in Lexington. According to WKYT, the injuries were potentially life-threatening.
In a disturbing twist, Fredrickson admitted to intentionally physically assaulting the baby in an attempt to silence her crying, as stated in the police report. Additionally, the police have charged Helena T. Herbert, 19, with failure to report child abuse and first-degree criminal abuse. Herbert confessed to knowing about her boyfriend’s abuse of the girl since the beginning of November, including his efforts to smother the baby with his hand. Shockingly, she did not take the girl away or seek help from the authorities.
Both Fredrickson and Herbert are currently detained in the Franklin County Regional Jail on a $1 million bond and are scheduled to appear in Franklin District Court on Tuesday.
