Update October 2, 2024: After doctors removed baby Waylon's breathing tube, he has been able to breathe all by himself. He has left the PICU and is now in a regular room.
A 9-month-old baby in Kansas City is currently fighting for his life after suffering serious injuries from his mother's partner. Allegedly, Jordan Boggess - the partner - dropped baby Waylon due to his "sweaty hands" and then proceeded to bear hug him until his crying stopped.
His condition was critical. When he arrived at the hospital, doctors discovered that baby Waylon had suffered from bilateral hematomas to his brain, damage to his spinal cord, and severe retinal hemorrhaging behind his eyes.
Mary Close - on behalf of Bessie, Waylon's mom - talked about the situation on a GoFundMe campaign. "Jordan has been charged and is in jail!" she said. "They got to Freeman Hospital in Joplin, and that's when it was notified that this was not an aspiration and choking kind of situation. He had some bruising on his head that alerted them that this was a child abuse case,"
Baby Waylon, reportedly, suffered from seizures when he was admitted to the hospital. Fortunately, the seizures stopped eventually after a medically induced coma, but doctors did predict how baby Waylon's life was going to be like moving forward.
"They said baby Waylon will not be the same baby," said Close. "If he makes it, He'll be wheelchair-bound. He will not be able to talk. He will not be able to feed himself."
Updated On Baby Waylon's Recovery
On Facebook, the family has issued some daily updates on baby Waylon. After doctors took baby Waylon's coma medicine off, baby Waylon's condition started to improve. He started to move his left arm and he moved after hearing her mom's voice. Eventually, baby Waylon managed to open his eyes.
"I am thrilled to see my baby boy's eyes open, a demonstration of your incredible healing power!" reads an update made by Bessie.
Later, baby Waylon managed to start breathing on his own. "He is breathing on his own just the swelling in his airway is making it hard without the tube there," said Bessie. His family expects baby Waylon's breathing to improve and, hopefully, he will be able to tolerate breathing without the tube.
Baby Waylon's family has struggled with this difficult situation. While they remain hopeful, this is by far the hardest fight of their lives. "It's hard. I'm lost for words," said Tyler Burbridge, baby Waylon's grandfather, to KY3. "As parents, our job is to protect our children and be there. This is the hardest fight that I've ever, I've ever had to do."
