A man in Tennessee has reportedly been accused of squeezing and biting his own infant son on the cheek early Friday and causing bodily harm.
The man, identified as Jerry Stark, 34, was observed running through various places and behaving erratically while holding the baby before allegedly biting the infant, WREG News reported, citing an arrest affidavit. Police showed up just before 1 a.m. for an ambulance call.
Stark allegedly drove to two gas stations and requested aid and then ran along a street with the baby. He then entered a fast food outlet, laid on the floor with the baby and gripped the child until he began to turn blue, witnesses and bystanders told police.
Bystanders allegedly took the baby away from Stark but not before he had bitten the baby on his cheek, Law & Crime reported. The witnesses also alleged that they could see “the baby’s skin on his lips.”
‘The baby’s skin is on his lips!’: Dad started biting infant son on the cheek at chicken wing restaurant, squeezed him until he turned blue as patrons looked on in horror, cops say https://t.co/sTBNsONS5l
— Law & Crime (@lawcrimenews) May 3, 2026
A witness shared a video allegedly from the incident showing a raucous scene in which others barricaded the door with their hands to shut in a man until officials arrived on the scene.
The affidavit alleged that police discovered Stark “screaming and panicking” when they showed up, according to WREG News. Officers said he claimed that his family was trying to kill him and that the baby was his son. (RELATED: Man Arrested For Beating Woman Is Released From Jail, Immediately Beats Up Same Woman)
The baby’s mother alleged that Stark shoved her out of a moving car before driving way with the baby. Police arrested Stark and booked him into the Shelby County Jail. Prosecutors charged him with domestic assault causing bodily harm, and jail records showed he is scheduled to appear before a judge Monday. The baby was allegedly hospitalized with a non-critical facial wound.
The Daily Caller reached out to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office but did not immediately hear back.