A Pennsylvania fire chief has confessed to throwing his three-month-old daughter to the ground, causing her skull to fracture, after he lost his temper when she wouldn’t stop crying, according to police.
Falls Township Fire Chief Brian Salt, 36, allegedly became enraged on March 11 when he couldn’t calm his crying daughter while his wife, Rebecca, was at work. Salt reportedly lost control and threw the baby to the ground.
Following the incident, Salt took the baby to his in-laws’ house and claimed he didn’t know how she had sustained a bump on her head. Salt and his wife later brought their daughter to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where doctors discovered a skull fracture, along with bruises on her legs and blood in her eyes, according to reports.
The hospital called in investigators the following day, and doctors determined that the injuries were caused by “substantial force.” Initially, both Salt and his wife denied knowing how the baby was hurt.
However, during a follow-up interview with police, Salt reportedly admitted to losing his patience with his baby, who had been fussy and suffering from colic. He revealed that he had taken her out of a swing and threw her to the ground in frustration.
“He just lost control, lost his cool, and in the process of picking her up from a swing, took her out of the swing and then threw her to the ground,” said Falls Township Police Detective Dennis O’Connell.
After the interview, Salt was arrested and charged with Felony Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Aggravated Assault on a Person Under 13, and Misdemeanor Simple Assault. He was taken to the Bucks County Corrections Center, where his bail was set at $500,000. Salt has also been suspended from his position as fire chief.
The Falls Township Fire Company released a statement on Facebook, confirming Salt’s suspension. “We are aware of the criminal charges involving Fire Chief Brian Salt. As a result, Chief Salt has been suspended indefinitely pending the outcome of the legal proceedings,” the statement read. “During this challenging time, our thoughts and prayers are with the Salt family.”
Salt, who became fire chief earlier this year, also works as a firefighter and EMT for the Northampton Township Fire Department. Detective O’Connell expressed shock at Salt’s actions, noting that with his training, he should have known how to handle the situation better, especially when it involved his own child.
“These are tough cases. Obviously, this is a three-month-old, the smallest of children you’re probably going to deal with,” O’Connell said.
Salt is scheduled for a preliminary court hearing on April 2.
The news has sparked outrage in the community. Many are calling for stronger action against Salt. “Brian Salt is a disgrace. He’s admitting doing this out of anger. He should be fired right now. Suspended indefinitely is not nearly enough!” one woman wrote on Facebook. Another added, “The chief doesn’t even care about his own offspring!”
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