Topline: During a police interview, King told officers the baby had fallen and may have hit something, but said he couldn’t recall exactly what happened.
Published: June 23, 2025 8:00 am ET
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Gabriel King (via Peoria County Sheriff's Office)
PEORIA, IL — An Illinois man will remain behind bars while he awaits trial on a charge of aggravated battery, after police say he seriously injured his two-month-old baby while left alone with the child earlier this month.
According to a report from the Bartonville Police Department, 24-year-old Gabriel A. King has been charged with aggravated battery stemming from an incident on June 2, during which his infant sustained a series of serious injuries, including three separate brain bleeds, a fracture near the shoulder, and bruising across multiple areas of the body.
The case came to light on June 3, when a caseworker with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) arrived at the Bartonville Police Department shortly after 10 p.m. to report suspected child abuse. The caseworker had been called to a Peoria hospital earlier that day, where doctors were evaluating the infant.
According to statements provided to investigators, the baby’s mother said she had been caring for the child on May 31 and June 1 and noticed no signs of injury. But on June 2, she left the baby in King’s care while she went to work. That afternoon, King called her, saying the baby was crying uncontrollably and could not be soothed.
When the mother returned home that evening, she told investigators the baby was screaming in a way she had never heard before. While changing the infant’s diaper, she noticed bruising and rushed the baby to the hospital.
In an interview with police, King admitted to becoming “overstimulated and overwhelmed” while watching the child. He told officers that the baby had fallen, that he had grabbed the child’s arm, and that the infant may have struck something. King also said he believed he “may have handled the baby too roughly,” but said he could not recall much of what happened.
Medical personnel who treated the child told investigators the injuries were consistent with physical abuse and were not accidental. The nature and pattern of the bruising supported that assessment, according to police.
King was arrested on Friday. At a detention hearing held earlier today, the court granted the state’s petition to keep him in custody pending trial.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Peoria Police Department at 309-673-4521.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Man Says He Was ‘Overwhelmed’ Before His Baby Was Severely Injured
During a police interview, King told officers the baby had fallen and may have hit something, but said he couldn’t recall exactly what happened.
By Jacob Charles
Published: June 23, 2025 8:00 am ET
Gabriel King (via Peoria County Sheriff's Office)
PEORIA, IL — An Illinois man will remain behind bars while he awaits trial on a charge of aggravated battery, after police say he seriously injured his two-month-old baby while left alone with the child earlier this month.
According to a report from the Bartonville Police Department, 24-year-old Gabriel A. King has been charged with aggravated battery stemming from an incident on June 2, during which his infant sustained a series of serious injuries, including three separate brain bleeds, a fracture near the shoulder, and bruising across multiple areas of the body.
The case came to light on June 3, when a caseworker with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) arrived at the Bartonville Police Department shortly after 10 p.m. to report suspected child abuse. The caseworker had been called to a Peoria hospital earlier that day, where doctors were evaluating the infant.
According to statements provided to investigators, the baby’s mother said she had been caring for the child on May 31 and June 1 and noticed no signs of injury. But on June 2, she left the baby in King’s care while she went to work. That afternoon, King called her, saying the baby was crying uncontrollably and could not be soothed.
When the mother returned home that evening, she told investigators the baby was screaming in a way she had never heard before. While changing the infant’s diaper, she noticed bruising and rushed the baby to the hospital.
In an interview with police, King admitted to becoming “overstimulated and overwhelmed” while watching the child. He told officers that the baby had fallen, that he had grabbed the child’s arm, and that the infant may have struck something. King also said he believed he “may have handled the baby too roughly,” but said he could not recall much of what happened.
Medical personnel who treated the child told investigators the injuries were consistent with physical abuse and were not accidental. The nature and pattern of the bruising supported that assessment, according to police.
King was arrested on Friday. At a detention hearing held earlier today, the court granted the state’s petition to keep him in custody pending trial.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Peoria Police Department at 309-673-4521.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Man Says He Was ‘Overwhelmed’ Before His Baby Was Severely Injured
During a police interview, King told officers the baby had fallen and may have hit something, but said he couldn’t recall exactly what happened.
By Jacob Charles
Published: June 23, 2025 8:00 am ET
Gabriel King (via Peoria County Sheriff's Office)
PEORIA, IL — An Illinois man will remain behind bars while he awaits trial on a charge of aggravated battery, after police say he seriously injured his two-month-old baby while left alone with the child earlier this month.
According to a report from the Bartonville Police Department, 24-year-old Gabriel A. King has been charged with aggravated battery stemming from an incident on June 2, during which his infant sustained a series of serious injuries, including three separate brain bleeds, a fracture near the shoulder, and bruising across multiple areas of the body.
The case came to light on June 3, when a caseworker with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) arrived at the Bartonville Police Department shortly after 10 p.m. to report suspected child abuse. The caseworker had been called to a Peoria hospital earlier that day, where doctors were evaluating the infant.
According to statements provided to investigators, the baby’s mother said she had been caring for the child on May 31 and June 1 and noticed no signs of injury. But on June 2, she left the baby in King’s care while she went to work. That afternoon, King called her, saying the baby was crying uncontrollably and could not be soothed.
When the mother returned home that evening, she told investigators the baby was screaming in a way she had never heard before. While changing the infant’s diaper, she noticed bruising and rushed the baby to the hospital.
In an interview with police, King admitted to becoming “overstimulated and overwhelmed” while watching the child. He told officers that the baby had fallen, that he had grabbed the child’s arm, and that the infant may have struck something. King also said he believed he “may have handled the baby too roughly,” but said he could not recall much of what happened.
Medical personnel who treated the child told investigators the injuries were consistent with physical abuse and were not accidental. The nature and pattern of the bruising supported that assessment, according to police.
King was arrested on Friday. At a detention hearing held earlier today, the court granted the state’s petition to keep him in custody pending trial.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Peoria Police Department at 309-673-4521.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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