Man accused of brutally beating infant arraigned

DECATUR Jared E. Seymour , 31, was arraigned Friday on one count of aggravated battery to a child, with exceptionally brutal or heinous behavior indicative of wanton cruelty, for shaking, battering and biting his 3-month-old son, Sebastian, causing traumatic brain injury.

If convicted of the Class X felony, Seymour is facing six to 60 years in prison.

The state is asking for his bond to be raised from $25,000 to $500,000, based on additional facts, including that the baby is on life support.

The victim has suffered severe and permanent brain damage and will require extensive and ongoing medical treatment, most likely for the rest of his life, if he does survive, Assistant State's Attorney Mary Koll wrote in her plea for a higher bond.

The bond decision will be considered at his preliminary hearing May 29.

Seymour, who has been held in the Macon County Jail since his arrest May 9,was granted a public defender byAssociate Judge Timothy Steadman.

Seymour was arrested May 9 after he admitted to police that he shook his infant son six or seven days earlier, so vigorously that he went into an apparent seizure, then rigid and subsequently limp.

Instead of taking the baby to a hospital for treatment at that time, on May 2 or 3, Seymour told police that he later also battered his infant son.

After an argument with the baby's mother, Isabella Morgenroth, on May 4, Seymour slapped Sebastian in the forehead with an open hand as he lay in his crib.

Seymour said from May 4 to 8 Sebastian acted noticeably different, with a diminished appetite and limited facial movement, a police affidavit said.

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Man accused of brutally beating infant arraigned