The grandfather of a critically-injured Des Moines baby says the boy is making some progress.
The baby’s parents — 20-year-old Jherica Richardson and 20-year-old Jonas Neiderbach, have been charged with multiple counts of child endangerment. The couple and the baby had been living in the home of Jon Neiderbach, a former Des Moines School Board member. He is the baby’s grandfather.
Doctors say the baby, who is named Ethan, suffered severe head injuries and broken ribs last week. Last month, the baby was treated for a broken arm. The Department of Human Services began an investigation last month, but the child was not removed from the home. Jon Neiderbach, the baby’s grandfather, works for the department as a financial analyst.
Jon Neiderbach issued a statement Tuesday saying his family was "living through a very difficult time."
The elder Neiderbach has posted information about the baby’s current condition on Facebook, a social networking site on the Internet. According to the grandfather, the baby "is showing signs of improvement." He thanked friends and family for their prayers and thoughts. The grandfather cautioned, though, that it is still unknown whether the boy will fully recover.