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PD: Gilbert father arrested as baby suffers multiple broken ribs

PD: Gilbert father arrested as baby suffers multiple broken ribs
Posted at 1:57 PM, Aug 30, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-31 09:11:07-04

A Gilbert father has been accused of abusing his 3-month-old son after he went to the hospital with broken ribs, bruising and a lacerated liver.  

Gilbert police report that on Tuesday they arrested 36-year-old Nathan Clapp for child abuse. 

Police say on August 12 they were alerted by hospital officials to a 3-month old boy who was suffering from "7 broken ribs, head bleed, lacerated liver and fluid in the lungs."  

Hospital officials told police that the broken ribs were caused by, "an intense squeezing of the chest." 

Police say Clapp was the caregiver of the child at the time he received the injuries. Police extracted data from Clapp's cell phone that allegedly shows Clapp was frustrated with the child's crying and fussiness. 

One of the texts reportedly says, "This was the type of thing that makes a parent hurt their child." 

At first, Clapp allegedly told police that the child might have been injured when he fell while holding the baby or that he may have rolled over on the baby. 

Clapp was arrested at his home in Gilbert near Country Club Drive and Guadalupe Road.