An Indiana man, 26, has been apprehended by authorities after allegedly causing severe harm to his three-month-old daughter due to her incessant crying. Neil A. McCaffery was arrested on Wednesday and faces a felony charge of neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, according to court documents.
The incident occurred on May 8, 2025, when the Muncie, Indiana, Police Department responded to a distress call about an unresponsive infant at a residence on South Pershing Drive, approximately 55 miles northeast of Indianapolis. Upon arrival, emergency personnel encountered the child’s parents who claimed the infant was suffering from a “gas bubble” lodged in her throat. They explained that the child became “unresponsive” and “went limp” during their attempts to burp her.
Medical personnel at the scene suspected the child was experiencing a seizure and promptly airlifted her to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis for further treatment. Medical examinations revealed the infant had a bilateral subdural hematoma, indicating the presence of blood in the subdural space of both hemispheres of her brain.
Following emergency surgery to alleviate pressure on the infant’s brain, she suffered a cardiac arrest and was subsequently placed on a feeding tube. Medical professionals indicated that a section of her brain had ceased receiving oxygen and started to deteriorate, suggesting potential developmental delays in the future.
During their investigation at the hospital, authorities interviewed McCaffery and the child’s mother, whose identity was not disclosed in the report. McCaffery reportedly told investigators that upon returning home from work, his wife informed him that their daughter had a “gas bubble” from eating. He then took the child to his room and patted her back multiple times to help her burp, as per the Indianapolis Star Press.
McCaffery claimed that after the child burped, he laid her on his bed and began counting money. Shortly after, he noticed the child was “turning blue,” prompting his wife to call 911. Medical experts informed investigators that the child’s head injuries were consistent with trauma, likely from being shaken or thrown to the ground.
The mother reportedly told police that their daughter had been crying uncontrollably when McCaffery took her into the bedroom. However, the crying abruptly stopped after about four minutes, according to the police report. McCaffery was later booked into the Delaware County Jail and was released after posting a $20,000 bond. A preliminary hearing in the case has yet to be scheduled.