BETTENDORF, Iowa -
Stephanie Kloppenborg sits and watches her two-month-old son, Chase, fight for his life Wednesday night in an Iowa City hospital. A vigil was held around 6 p.m. in Bettendorf - around the same time he was taken off of life support.
According to our partners at the Dispatch Rock Island Argus, Stephanie's live-in boyfriend, 25-year-old Byran Michael Fix is accused of hurting the infant on November 19 while Stephanie was at work. Chase has suffered three fractured ribs and his brain was shifted about 8 millimeters inside his skull.
"(I) went to see him yesterday. He did try and take a few breaths here and there," said Stephanie's friend, Elizabeth VanTheemsche. "You could actually see on the monitor. But, I mean it was very disturbing to see him lying there like that."
Bryan is the father of Stephanie's two other children, but not of Chase. Elizabeth said Bryan babysat for all the kids several times and thought she could trust him.
Bryan isn't a stranger to the Scott County courts. County records show protection orders were filed against him in 2007 and 2008 by Stephanie for her four-year-old. Both were dismissed.
According to Scott County Attorney, Mike Walton, Bryan is facing Child Endangerment with Serious Injury, a Class C Felony, in the Scott County Jail under $10,000 bond. "Depending on how things develop or other evidence develops, if there's changes in the child's condition, those charges can be changed," said Walton. Arraignment is set for December 17.
According to Elizabeth, as of 9:20 p.m., Chase was breathing on his own.
UPDATE: Chase Kloppenborg died Friday morning at the University of Iowa Hospitals. Davenport Police said they now anticipate more charges since the child has passed.
According to our partners at the Dispatch Rock Island Argus, Stephanie's live-in boyfriend, 25-year-old Byran Michael Fix is accused of hurting the infant on November 19 while Stephanie was at work. Chase has suffered three fractured ribs and his brain was shifted about 8 millimeters inside his skull.
"(I) went to see him yesterday. He did try and take a few breaths here and there," said Stephanie's friend, Elizabeth VanTheemsche. "You could actually see on the monitor. But, I mean it was very disturbing to see him lying there like that."
Bryan is the father of Stephanie's two other children, but not of Chase. Elizabeth said Bryan babysat for all the kids several times and thought she could trust him.
Bryan isn't a stranger to the Scott County courts. County records show protection orders were filed against him in 2007 and 2008 by Stephanie for her four-year-old. Both were dismissed.
According to Scott County Attorney, Mike Walton, Bryan is facing Child Endangerment with Serious Injury, a Class C Felony, in the Scott County Jail under $10,000 bond. "Depending on how things develop or other evidence develops, if there's changes in the child's condition, those charges can be changed," said Walton. Arraignment is set for December 17.
According to Elizabeth, as of 9:20 p.m., Chase was breathing on his own.
UPDATE: Chase Kloppenborg died Friday morning at the University of Iowa Hospitals. Davenport Police said they now anticipate more charges since the child has passed.
