Relatives questioned, DCFS investigating following injury to NW Side baby

A baby boy is hospitalized with extensive injuries, including skull fractures, bleeding on the brain and puncture wounds caused by a toothpick, and his mother and uncle are being questioned today.
The injuries were discovered over the weekend at the family’s Gladstone Park neighborhood home in the 5400 block of North Monitor Avenue, and on Sunday afternoon the 11-month-old boy was rushed to Resurrection Medical Center and then transported to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge -- where his condition had stabilized.
The baby suffered multiple skull fractures, bleeding on the brain, a broken clavicle, a burn on his hand, several puncture wounds on his foot caused by toothpicks, marks on his neck and a liver injury.
The 23-year-old mother and the baby’s 24-year-old uncle, who was the only person caring for the child when he noticed injuries and the baby becoming lethargic, were arrested Tuesday and have not been charged with anything as of Wednesday afternoon.
During interviews the woman said during a bout of frustration, she pulled her baby out of his crib with such force that she caused the fracture of the clavicle, and during another fit, used a toothpick to puncture her son’s left foot.
9-1-1 was called about 5 p.m. Sunday when a witness noticed something wrong with the baby and told the child's mother, who could not rouse the sleeping baby. Another witness told authorities that she also saw the baby during the day Sunday, limp in his walker and unable to hold his head up.
The uncle, who is the woman’s brother-in-law, noticed the child screaming and crying “nonstop” throughout the early morning hours of Saturday and told authorities that he saw a burn on the child’s hand about a week prior. When he asked the mother how that happened, she said the child touched a portable heater in the room. The uncle also told police the child could not stay awake.
Police said the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services initiated a “safety plan’’ and placed the victim’s sibling in the care of another relative.
“DCFS is investigating allegations of abuse and neglect against the mother,’’. Whitelow said they have had no prior contact with the family and said his records indicated two other children in the household were now in the care of relatives.