FROM STAFF REPORTS

The parents of an infant face felony child abuse charges after the child was rushed to the hospital in critical condition on Sunday.

Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell announced the arrests of Adrian Rashaun Lyons, 25, and Calinda Linelaine Steinseifer, 29, in a news release Monday. 

ICSO deputies responded to the couple’s home off Teeter Road, east of Mooresville, on Sunday in reference to a call of CPR in progress on an infant, Campbell said.

When the deputies arrived on the scene, they learned Iredell County EMS personnel had transported the child to a local medical facility, according to the news release. Deputies then located and interviewed the child’s father, Lyons, who said he found the infant unresponsive and called 911, Campbell said.

ICSO criminal investigators arrived on scene and started an investigation to determine what had occurred to cause the child to be unresponsive.

When Steinseifer was interviewed by investigators, she told them she had been asleep when Lyons woke her up, saying they needed to go to the Emergency Room because something was wrong with the child, Campbell said.

Lyons told the investigators he had fed the baby, then put her down to sleep, according to the news release. He reportedly checked on her 30 minutes later and found her limp and unresponsive, Campbell said.

When the investigators arrived at the hospital, they learned the infant had brain swelling, bleeding on the brain and hemorrhages, according to the news release.

Medical staff said the injuries were the result of as un-accidental brain trauma, Campbell said. The infant was airlifted to Levine’s Children’s Hospital in Charlotte for more advanced treatment.

After receiving this information, the investigators interviewed both Lyons and Steinseifer a second time.

According to the news release, Lyons admitted running into a door and striking the infant’s head two weeks ago. He went on to say the baby would not eat, was crying a lot and twitching, Campbell said.

Steinseifer admitted to knowing about the incident but did not seek medical attention for the infant for fear of getting in trouble, according to the news release.

Due to the circumstances and the condition of the infant, detectives obtained felony arrest warrants for Lyons and Steinseifer.

Lyons was charged with Felony Intentional Child Abuse Inflicting Serious Bodily Injury. He appeared before Magistrate Callejas, who ordered Lyons held without bond due to the fact Lyons is on probation for a prior conviction of Felony Child Abuse in Davie County 2019.

Steinseifer was charged with Felony Negligent Child Abuse Inflicting Serious Bodily Injury. She received a $150,000 secured bond from Magistrate Callejas.

The Iredell County Department of Social Services was also notified as this is an ongoing investigation.