Man wanted on assault charge in shaken baby case

WILLMAR -- An arrest warrant has been issued for Travis Dean Ryks, 25, of Willmar, on a first-degree assault charge for allegedly shaking an infant and causing what doctors said is a life-threatening injury attributable to child abuse.

The complaint against Ryks was filed -- and the warrant issued -- Thursday in Kandiyohi County District Court. Doctors involved in the child's medical treatment told investigators that the child's injuries were not accidental and that the injuries could not have been suffered in a fall off a bed, which Ryks said happened while he was caring for the child on Feb. 1.

He allegedly told the child's mother than he found the child lying face down on the floor, having fallen off a bed while Ryks was changing his diaper and ran to another room to get baby wipes. The mother arrived home and found that the infant "seemed kind of out of it, like not really that responsive."

Later on Feb. 1, the child began twitching and was taken to Rice Memorial Hospital, where he had a seizure and a CAT scan found blood on his brain. The baby was transferred to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, where he was in intensive care until Feb. 23 and remains hospitalized.

The complaint notes that as of March 10, the child is on anti-seizure medication, has a feeding tube, is not moving his left side in a normal fashion and that his eyes are not tracking properly. The child has also had two serious seizures during which he nearly died.

Ryks allegedly admitted to the child's mother than he'd shaken the baby.