Two Fathers

Found Poem # 7/Two Fathers or He Became Angry

I

On Wednesday,
Larry Greene, 20, was charged
with second-degree murder
in the death of
his 7-month-old son, Xiah Greene.

The police said
Mr. Greene told them that
he became angry
when Xiah began to cry
after his mother, Cassandra Nady, 17,
left for school.

He told the baby
to “toughen up,”
then punched him in the chest,
investigators said.

Officers went to the family’s home,
on 113th Avenue in St. Albans, about 7 p.m. Tuesday
in response to a call about
an unconscious baby.

The boy died
at Queens Hospital Center.

II

In an earlier episode,
Saul Cortez, 24-years old, faces
possible man-slaughter and murder charges
after his eight-month old son, Mario Patrice,
was hospitalized on April 5 for injuries resulting from
shaken baby syndrome, including:
brain injury,
retinal hemorrhages,
laceration to the liver
and acute rib fracture.

The police said Mr. Cortez told them that
he became angry
because the baby was crying
and that he “repeatedly shook the baby
and forcefully and repeatedly
punched the baby in the back.”

Mario was initially placed on life support,
and after his death, last Thursday —
his organs were donated.

Source: The New York Times, April 15, 2010