Father accused of shoving fingers down infant's throat to stop crying

WENTZVILLE, Missouri -- In what is likely one of the worst cases of infant abuse that local police in Missouri have ever dealt with, police say a six-week-old is not expected to survive after his father shoved fingers down his throat.

According to KTVI-TV, the horrific incident began with the infant doing what babies do: crying.

Police say the infant's father, Robert Burnette, couldn't deal with the crying, so he shoved his fingers down the baby's tiny throat trying to reach the boy's larynx to stop the crying.

Police say they got these details from the child's mother, Megan Hendricks, who investigators say stood by and watched, making no attempt to stop the abuse.

According to court records, Burnette also threw the baby onto a bed, violently shook him and picked him up by the back of the neck at the couple's apartment in Wentzville.

A roommate living with the couple also witnessed the abuse, but has not been charged.

The baby, identified only as JB, is hospitalized with a number of critical injuries, including broken bones, possible liver contusions and bleeding on the brain.

Doctors don't expect the child to survive. If he does, he will have severe physical and mental disabilities.

Both parents gave been charged with abuse, neglect and causing serious emotional or physical injury.

Burnette is being held on a $500,000 cash-only bond, and Hendricks on a $250,000 bond.