Avon man charged with felony child abuse

Jack Tollefson, a 21-year-old man from Avon, faces a felony charge of maliciously punishing his infant child. According to a criminal complaint filed in Stearns County District Court, the child sustained squeezing bruises, a possible mouth injury, and bone anomalies in the forearm and lower shin that may indicate fractures.

Medical professionals flagged the injuries as concerning for abuse in a non-mobile infant after the child was brought to a doctor in late July. Authorities state that home video surveillance allegedly shows Tollefson swinging, aggressively bouncing, and forcefully pushing the child into furniture. The footage also reportedly shows Tollefson becoming frustrated with the infant's crying.

Law enforcement noted that the child's mother did not handle the infant in the same aggressive manner. The child is currently in foster care, where caregivers report the infant is behaving normally and has not shown further signs of bruising.