Topline: Prosecutors said frustration while playing the video game NBA 2K led to an infant being thrown against a wall.
Published: January 1, 2026 1:05 pm ET
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Jalin White (via Milwaukee County Jail)
MILWAUKEE, WI — A Milwaukee man who admitted to throwing his infant son against a wall while playing a video game was sentenced to more than a decade in prison this week.
According to WITI-Fox 6, 22-year-old Jalin White pleaded guilty Tuesday, Dec. 30, to child abuse and child neglect. A judge sentenced him to 12 years in prison followed by seven years of extended supervision. During the hearing, White addressed the court, saying, “My intentions were never to hurt my baby boy. Everything just happened so quick. I want to take full accountability for my wrongs and my actions.”
The case dates back to Nov. 5, 2024, when Milwaukee police were called to Children’s Wisconsin to investigate what doctors believed were signs of severe child abuse, according to court records cited by WITI-Fox 6. The victim was White’s son, a baby just over eight months old at the time.
Prosecutors said the child suffered catastrophic injuries after White became frustrated while playing the basketball video game NBA 2K. A criminal complaint states the baby was so badly hurt that he had to be intubated, lost a pulse, and required multiple rounds of CPR before medical staff were able to revive him, according to WITI-Fox 6.
Medical testing revealed a large skull fracture, brain hemorrhaging, six rib fractures in various stages of healing, and a healing clavicle fracture, prosecutors said. Due to the severity of the brain injury, doctors initially did not expect the child to survive, though he ultimately did, according to WITI-Fox 6. Prosecutors told the court that the child continues to suffer lasting effects, including vision problems, dependence on a feeding tube, and the need for multiple weekly appointments with medical specialists.
Matthew Torbenson, a prosecutor in the case, underscored the gravity of the crime during Tuesday’s hearing. “You have one of the most innocent of innocent victims in our community hurt by the very person who under the law should protect them and keep them safe and then attempts to cover up his actions,” Torbenson said, according to WITI-Fox 6.
Reporting from WTMJ at the time of the incident details how the baby’s mother had left the child in White’s care that evening, which investigators said was a common arrangement because White was unemployed and watched the baby while she worked. When she returned to the apartment near 42nd Street and Good Hope Road, she noticed the infant was moving his arm oddly, could not hold his head up, and was struggling to breathe. She called 911 after seeing the baby’s eye swollen shut, his legs stiff, and his hands changing color, according to the criminal complaint summarized by WTMJ.
Investigators said White initially gave multiple explanations for the injuries, including claims that the baby’s head had bumped a door frame or that the child fell while he was changing a diaper. According to both WTMJ and WITI-Fox 6, detectives told White those scenarios did not match the severity of the injuries. He later said the baby fell from his arms while he was playing video games.
Court filings state that after further questioning, White admitted he threw the baby against the wall. According to prosecutors, White said he had been holding the child to “keep him chill for a little bit” while playing NBA 2K, but became frustrated when the game grew competitive. He told investigators he was down by two points in the fourth quarter, the baby felt heavy, and he threw the child toward the bed, striking the wall about a foot above it before the baby landed face-first, as reported by WITI-Fox 6 and WTMJ.
“I heard the wall, it was hard on his head. It was hard. It was a loud hard wall,” White told investigators, according to quotes included in both WITI-Fox 6 and WTMJ reporting.
WLUK reported that doctors also noted some of the baby’s injuries appeared to be healing, leading prosecutors to conclude the child had been harmed previously. White’s defense attorney, Annette Rauch, told the court that White’s memory of the incident was unclear and that he panicked, citing his reported use of marijuana and Percocet at the time. “Mr. White wishes he could tell the court exactly what happened, unfortunately being under the influence of marijuana and percocets at the time, we just don’t have that,” Rauch said, according to WITI-Fox 6.
While early reports from WLUK noted that charges could be increased to homicide if the baby died, prosecutors later confirmed the child survived.
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 Convicted of Throwing Infant Son Against Wall While Playing Video Game Sentenced to 12 Years
Prosecutors said frustration while playing the video game NBA 2K led to an infant being thrown against a wall.
By Jacob Charles
Published: January 1, 2026 1:05 pm ET
Jalin White (via Milwaukee County Jail)
MILWAUKEE, WI — A Milwaukee man who admitted to throwing his infant son against a wall while playing a video game was sentenced to more than a decade in prison this week.
According to WITI-Fox 6, 22-year-old Jalin White pleaded guilty Tuesday, Dec. 30, to child abuse and child neglect. A judge sentenced him to 12 years in prison followed by seven years of extended supervision. During the hearing, White addressed the court, saying, “My intentions were never to hurt my baby boy. Everything just happened so quick. I want to take full accountability for my wrongs and my actions.”
The case dates back to Nov. 5, 2024, when Milwaukee police were called to Children’s Wisconsin to investigate what doctors believed were signs of severe child abuse, according to court records cited by WITI-Fox 6. The victim was White’s son, a baby just over eight months old at the time.
Prosecutors said the child suffered catastrophic injuries after White became frustrated while playing the basketball video game NBA 2K. A criminal complaint states the baby was so badly hurt that he had to be intubated, lost a pulse, and required multiple rounds of CPR before medical staff were able to revive him, according to WITI-Fox 6.
Medical testing revealed a large skull fracture, brain hemorrhaging, six rib fractures in various stages of healing, and a healing clavicle fracture, prosecutors said. Due to the severity of the brain injury, doctors initially did not expect the child to survive, though he ultimately did, according to WITI-Fox 6. Prosecutors told the court that the child continues to suffer lasting effects, including vision problems, dependence on a feeding tube, and the need for multiple weekly appointments with medical specialists.
Matthew Torbenson, a prosecutor in the case, underscored the gravity of the crime during Tuesday’s hearing. “You have one of the most innocent of innocent victims in our community hurt by the very person who under the law should protect them and keep them safe and then attempts to cover up his actions,” Torbenson said, according to WITI-Fox 6.
Reporting from WTMJ at the time of the incident details how the baby’s mother had left the child in White’s care that evening, which investigators said was a common arrangement because White was unemployed and watched the baby while she worked. When she returned to the apartment near 42nd Street and Good Hope Road, she noticed the infant was moving his arm oddly, could not hold his head up, and was struggling to breathe. She called 911 after seeing the baby’s eye swollen shut, his legs stiff, and his hands changing color, according to the criminal complaint summarized by WTMJ.
Investigators said White initially gave multiple explanations for the injuries, including claims that the baby’s head had bumped a door frame or that the child fell while he was changing a diaper. According to both WTMJ and WITI-Fox 6, detectives told White those scenarios did not match the severity of the injuries. He later said the baby fell from his arms while he was playing video games.
Court filings state that after further questioning, White admitted he threw the baby against the wall. According to prosecutors, White said he had been holding the child to “keep him chill for a little bit” while playing NBA 2K, but became frustrated when the game grew competitive. He told investigators he was down by two points in the fourth quarter, the baby felt heavy, and he threw the child toward the bed, striking the wall about a foot above it before the baby landed face-first, as reported by WITI-Fox 6 and WTMJ.
“I heard the wall, it was hard on his head. It was hard. It was a loud hard wall,” White told investigators, according to quotes included in both WITI-Fox 6 and WTMJ reporting.
WLUK reported that doctors also noted some of the baby’s injuries appeared to be healing, leading prosecutors to conclude the child had been harmed previously. White’s defense attorney, Annette Rauch, told the court that White’s memory of the incident was unclear and that he panicked, citing his reported use of marijuana and Percocet at the time. “Mr. White wishes he could tell the court exactly what happened, unfortunately being under the influence of marijuana and percocets at the time, we just don’t have that,” Rauch said, according to WITI-Fox 6.
While early reports from WLUK noted that charges could be increased to homicide if the baby died, prosecutors later confirmed the child survived.
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 Convicted of Throwing Infant Son Against Wall While Playing Video Game Sentenced to 12 Years
Prosecutors said frustration while playing the video game NBA 2K led to an infant being thrown against a wall.
By Jacob Charles
Published: January 1, 2026 1:05 pm ET
Jalin White (via Milwaukee County Jail)
MILWAUKEE, WI — A Milwaukee man who admitted to throwing his infant son against a wall while playing a video game was sentenced to more than a decade in prison this week.
According to WITI-Fox 6, 22-year-old Jalin White pleaded guilty Tuesday, Dec. 30, to child abuse and child neglect. A judge sentenced him to 12 years in prison followed by seven years of extended supervision. During the hearing, White addressed the court, saying, “My intentions were never to hurt my baby boy. Everything just happened so quick. I want to take full accountability for my wrongs and my actions.”
The case dates back to Nov. 5, 2024, when Milwaukee police were called to Children’s Wisconsin to investigate what doctors believed were signs of severe child abuse, according to court records cited by WITI-Fox 6. The victim was White’s son, a baby just over eight months old at the time.
Prosecutors said the child suffered catastrophic injuries after White became frustrated while playing the basketball video game NBA 2K. A criminal complaint states the baby was so badly hurt that he had to be intubated, lost a pulse, and required multiple rounds of CPR before medical staff were able to revive him, according to WITI-Fox 6.
Medical testing revealed a large skull fracture, brain hemorrhaging, six rib fractures in various stages of healing, and a healing clavicle fracture, prosecutors said. Due to the severity of the brain injury, doctors initially did not expect the child to survive, though he ultimately did, according to WITI-Fox 6. Prosecutors told the court that the child continues to suffer lasting effects, including vision problems, dependence on a feeding tube, and the need for multiple weekly appointments with medical specialists.
Matthew Torbenson, a prosecutor in the case, underscored the gravity of the crime during Tuesday’s hearing. “You have one of the most innocent of innocent victims in our community hurt by the very person who under the law should protect them and keep them safe and then attempts to cover up his actions,” Torbenson said, according to WITI-Fox 6.
Reporting from WTMJ at the time of the incident details how the baby’s mother had left the child in White’s care that evening, which investigators said was a common arrangement because White was unemployed and watched the baby while she worked. When she returned to the apartment near 42nd Street and Good Hope Road, she noticed the infant was moving his arm oddly, could not hold his head up, and was struggling to breathe. She called 911 after seeing the baby’s eye swollen shut, his legs stiff, and his hands changing color, according to the criminal complaint summarized by WTMJ.
Investigators said White initially gave multiple explanations for the injuries, including claims that the baby’s head had bumped a door frame or that the child fell while he was changing a diaper. According to both WTMJ and WITI-Fox 6, detectives told White those scenarios did not match the severity of the injuries. He later said the baby fell from his arms while he was playing video games.
Court filings state that after further questioning, White admitted he threw the baby against the wall. According to prosecutors, White said he had been holding the child to “keep him chill for a little bit” while playing NBA 2K, but became frustrated when the game grew competitive. He told investigators he was down by two points in the fourth quarter, the baby felt heavy, and he threw the child toward the bed, striking the wall about a foot above it before the baby landed face-first, as reported by WITI-Fox 6 and WTMJ.
“I heard the wall, it was hard on his head. It was hard. It was a loud hard wall,” White told investigators, according to quotes included in both WITI-Fox 6 and WTMJ reporting.
WLUK reported that doctors also noted some of the baby’s injuries appeared to be healing, leading prosecutors to conclude the child had been harmed previously. White’s defense attorney, Annette Rauch, told the court that White’s memory of the incident was unclear and that he panicked, citing his reported use of marijuana and Percocet at the time. “Mr. White wishes he could tell the court exactly what happened, unfortunately being under the influence of marijuana and percocets at the time, we just don’t have that,” Rauch said, according to WITI-Fox 6.
While early reports from WLUK noted that charges could be increased to homicide if the baby died, prosecutors later confirmed the child survived.
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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