Melrose mother facing child abuse charges

A Melrose woman who called 911 to report her infant daughter was crying when touched and couldn’t use her arms to hold a bottle is now facing child abuse charges along with the baby’s father.

A warrant was filed Friday for the arrest of Crystal Broeder on a felony charge of child abuse, according to court records.

Broeder has not been arrested as of mid-Monday afternoon, according to jail and court officials.

The baby’s father, 25-year-old Phillip Holmes, was arrested March 6, charged with child abuse resulting in great bodily harm after doctors discovered the 3-month-old girl’s arms were broken, she had skull fractures, broken ribs that had been healing about three weeks and damage to her neck bones, court records show.

A doctor told officers the only explanation for the injuries was the infant was grabbed or handled with force.

Broeder called 911 March 5 and the child was transported to the emergency room at Plains Regional Medical Center.

Holmes told police he dropped the baby and tried to catch her while her mother was outside, explaining that he didn’t mean to hurt the infant and it was an accident, records show.

Holmes remains in jail on $25,000 bond and is awaiting a March 26 preliminary hearing in Curry County Magistrate Court.