Cambridge man arrested following child abuse investigation
CAMBRIDGE, Md. – A Cambridge man is behind bars on attempted murder and other charges stemming from a child abuse investigation.
Early Friday afternoon, officers were called to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore for a Warrant Service on 26-year-old Marcus Peak, who had an active warrant through the Cambridge Police Department.
The charges stem from an incident that happened during the evening hours of April 21st. Cambridge officers responded to the 700 block of Rosemont Avenue to assist Dorchester County EMS with a 1-month-old child who was unconscious and not breathing. The child was taken to the University of Maryland Shore Medical Center before being taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital. Officers met with Peak, who was identified as the father of the child, and observed visible injuries on the child with suspected head trauma. At the time, the baby was listed in critical condition, and further evaluation showed that the child had a soft spongy feel to the back of the head, and medical testing showed two brain bleeds.
Peak reportedly told detectives that he had just fed the child a bottle and placed them in a bassinet for a nap. Peak reported that the child was asleep and when he went back to check on the child, he noticed that the child’s head was tilted to the side with fluid coming from their nose and mouth, and their eyes were partially opened. At that time, Peak allegedly denied any traumatic event that would have caused injury to the child.
It was further learned that Peak had lied to detectives and did not tell them that he was changing the child on an elevated position off the flor when the child moved and fell to the floor, hitting its head. Peak then reportedly picked the child up and shook the child to wake them up.
On April 26th, detectives learned that the child did suffer traumatic injury to its head, showing multiple skull fractures, including bilateral bleeding to both sides of the brain, which have evolved into a stoke ischemic injury consistent with progressive brain damage.
Peak was charged with attempted first and second degree murder, first and second degree assault, first degree child abuse: severe physical injury, second degree child abuse: custodian, neglect of minor, and reckless endangerment. He is being held without bond.
