Baby Hospitalized In Critical Condition; Father Arrested: Santa Clara Co. Sheriff

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA – A 32-year-old man was arrested for allegedly abusing his 6-week-old daughter in unincorporated San Jose, a Santa Clara County sheriff's spokesman said today.

The baby is in critical condition at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose as of this morning, sheriff's Sgt. James Jensen said.

The child's father, Matthew Zabala, has been arrested on suspicion of child abuse and domestic violence, according to Jensen.

Deputies responded to the hospital shortly before 3:30 p.m. Tuesday on a report of possible child abuse, the spokesman said.

Investigators learned that the girl was taken by ambulance to the medical center on Sunday for a life-threatening condition, Jensen said.

Once the infant reached the hospital, medical personnel found she was suffering from cardiac arrest and found numerous fractures on her body, according to Jensen.

Medical staff believed the girl's skull fracture wasn't an accident, Jensen said.

Responding deputies called for a severe child injury response team to conduct an investigation based on the life-threatening nature of the alleged crime, according to Jensen.

Detectives went to a home in the first block of Boston Avenue north of West San Carlos Street in unincorporated San Jose, where they interviewed the child's biological parents and collected evidence, Jensen
said.

Zabala was identified as the suspect and has been booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail, where he's being in lieu of $500,000 bail, according to online jail records.

Also see:

• Campbell City Councilman Arrested On Suspicion Of Domestic Violence
• Baby Christopher, Born After His Mother Died In Car Crash, Improving At Hospital

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