Foster Father Arrested in Infant’s Death
FORT BRAGG—The Fort Bragg police have arrested 38-year-old Wilson Lee Tubbs of Fort Bragg after an investigation revealed that the baby he was taking care of died of shaken baby syndrome.
Wilson Lee Tubbs
On Sunday night December 2, Officers responded to the Mendocino Coast Hospital on a report of alleged abuse of a five-month old. Staff from the hospital told the officers that the infant was brought into the hospital in respiratory distress.
The baby also had bruises on her face and skill. REACH Air Medical Service transported the infant to the Oakland Children’s Hospital due to the seriousness of her injuries. Officers interviewed Wilson Tubbs, the child’s foster father, who brought the baby into the hospital.
Tubbs told police that, on the night of December 1, while he was changing the baby’s diaper he stepped away for just a few seconds and went into another room when he heard the cries of the baby. He returned to the room he found the baby lying on the floor with the changing pad on top of her. Tubbs indicated that he thought his large dog might have hit the table causing the baby and the pad to fall to the floor. He stated that the baby received the bump on the forehead from the fall.
The child’s foster mother was out of town on business and was not aware of the incident that occurred that night.
On December 4, police received a call from a child abuse specialist that stated that he had finished the examination on the infant and found two skull fractures with several bruises on the face. The doctor reported that in his opinion that the infant had been physically abused. The doctor went on to say that there was no way that the fall from the changing table caused the injuries.
On December 5, the infant died from her injuries. The Fort Bragg Police Department continued the investigation, now as a homicide case. They requested the assistance of the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Investigation Unit.
On December 8, the District Attorney’s Office re-interviewed Tubbs. Tubbs told investigators “that he was upset over something and began slapping and shaking the infant in a manner that caused the child’s injuries,” Fort Bragg Police Chief Scott Mayberry said. “We also believe that he has done this on one or more (other) occasions.”
On December 10, Wilson Lee Tubbs was arrested for an assault resulting in a death. He was booked and transported to Mendocino County Jail. He bail as been set at $500,000.
Read More:
Beaumont Enterprise: NorCal Foster Father Arrested in Death of Child
KTVU: Mendocino County Foster Father Arrested in Death of Child
