Man slams baby’s head into bedpost because he wouldn’t stop crying, PA cops say

A baby’s brain bleed and injuries believed to be unsurvivable were caused by his mother’s boyfriend, according to Pennsylvania police and news reports.

Dominic Pinnick, 18, told Pittsburgh officers he was babysitting July 18 and the baby fell out of a bed, according to a criminal complaint obtained by WTAE. The baby’s injuries, however, were inconsistent with Pinnick’s story, a doctor determined.

The 10-month-old baby was taken to a hospital with a skull fracture and retinal hemorrhages, which caused a brain bleed, KDKA reported. Doctors removed a portion of the baby’s skull in efforts to save his life, but the news outlet said the baby “is not expected to survive.”

Pinnick later told investigators he found the baby crying on the floor, according to the court documents, also obtained by WPXI. A violent outburst followed, he said.

“(Police) said he admitted to hitting the baby’s head three or four times on the wooden canopy bed posts in the bedroom, aggressively rocking him and aggressively rubbing the back of his head after he grew frustrated when his attempts to get the baby to stop crying were unsuccessful,” the news outlet reported.

He is also accused of striking the baby’s head on the headboard, according to KDKA.

Pinnick noticed the baby’s head was “soft and malleable,” and he asked for help after the child’s body became limp, according to TribLive.com. He was not home when investigators arrived at the home.

Court records show Pinnick is charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, endangering welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person.

He was denied bail, according to the court records, as he was ruled to be a flight risk.

Investigators are expected to file homicide charges, according to WPXI.

This story was originally published July 21, 2025 at 11:34 AM with the headline "Man slams baby’s head into bedpost because he wouldn’t stop crying, PA cops say."