Dad experienced ‘runner’s high’ as he assaulted 2-month-old son, Wisconsin cops say

A baby born two months premature was assaulted multiple times by his father just days after being brought home, according to Wisconsin police and news reports.

Michael R. Ormond, 39, was charged with two felony counts of child abuse and remains in the Winnebago County jail as of Thursday, Sept. 14, according to court and jail records.

His baby was taken to a Neenah hospital Sept. 7 with substantial bruising throughout his body and a brain bleed, according to a criminal complaint obtained by McClatchy News.

The investigation revealed the baby was born two months prematurely, and Ormond said he had thoughts of harming the child ever since bringing him home from the hospital, court documents show.

Police said the alleged abuse happened nine days after the child was taken home after spending 47 days in the NICU.

The first incident came as Ormond’s wife was taking their older children to school, police said. Ormond said he spanked his child three times.

“He described holding (the baby’s) legs with one hand and striking him on the butt three times in his room on the changing table, stating ‘I just gave three whacks, I don’t know why,’” police said in the complaint.

Ormond is believed to have caused a brain bleed to the child later that day when he squeezed the baby’s legs, arms and back of his neck, detectives say. He also put his hands around his child’s mouth and shook the baby, according to the court documents.

The violent acts caused the child to go “completely limp” and be “pale from head to toe,” the complaint says.

“Michael stated that he has anger issues and (the baby)‘s crying triggers him,” according to court documents. “Michael reported that when he hurts (the baby) he gets something like a ‘runner’s high.’”

Ormond was a firefighter in Oshkosh but was no longer with the department as of Sept. 11, according to WLUK.

Court records show Ormond is not allowed contact with any children, as well as the mother of his child. He was jailed on a $50,000 bond.

Winnebago County is about 90 miles northwest of Milwaukee.

This story was originally published September 14, 2023 at 1:03 PM with the headline "Dad experienced ‘runner’s high’ as he assaulted 2-month-old son, Wisconsin cops say."