John Martin Caldwell, 28, is charged with injury to a child. According to court documents, Caldwell and his wife, Stormy, were watching her aunt's baby over the weekend of February 28, 2009. The mother told investigators the Caldwells picked up the baby on Friday night and that she spoke with Stormy over the weekend and there was no mention of any problems with the baby.
Then on Sunday, March 1, the mother said she spoke with Stormy who told her that they were on their way to drop off the baby when she threw up on herself, so they went back home and would be there shortly. Court documents show the mother said Stormy then called back to say they were at the hospital because she thought the baby was having a seizure. The next day, the baby was pronounced brain dead at Texas Children's Hospital.
Police say they gave John and Stormy Caldwell polygraph examinations and that John showed deception on the exam. Court documents state John Caldwell had been alone with the baby for 10 to 15 minutes prior to being placed in the car and that he told Stormy that the baby had thrown up on herself and he had to change her clothes.
John Caldwell told police that Stormy noticed something was wrong with the baby after he had changed her clothes and placed her in the car.
According to court documents, the baby's cause of death was blunt force trauma and the manner of death is homicide.
Bond has been set at $50,000 in this case.
