AUSTIN (KXAN) – A 5-week-old baby girl is recovering from a fractured skull after police say her father punched her in the head as he was trying to assault the child’s mother.

According to an arrest affidavit, on Oct. 31, Ruben A. Rodriguez, 27, came home from work and was angry the mother of his child had been out with her friend. An argument ensued and the woman said that’s when the situation escalated into a physical altercation.

While the mother was holding the newborn against her chest, she said Rodriguez tried to strangle her and when he tried to punch her, he missed and hit the baby on the right side of her head. As the baby was crying, the suspect said, “Put her down, so I can really f- you up.”

A doctor determined the baby had a “significant fracture” to her skull.

Rodriguez was booked into the Travis County Jail on Nov. 8 and charged with injury to a child with intent to cause bodily injury, assault on a family member and possession of drug paraphernalia.WHAT OTHERS ARE CLICKING ON: 

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