Woodbury Man Accused of Severe Abuse of Infant Daughter
via Washington County Sheriff's Office
Woodbury police have arrested a 19-year-old man who allegedly physically abused his six-month-old daughter, causing multiple serious injuries.
Authorities say the investigation began on the morning of Sept. 24, 2024, when a Washington County Child Protection Services social worker alerted a Woodbury Police Department detective to the report of abuse involving the infant.
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The social worker had gone to meet the victim and her mother at a local hospital after receiving the report. According to court documents, the victim sustained a fractured femur, a broken wrist and multiple fractured vertebrae. Doctors described the injuries as indicative of child abuse.
The investigation revealed the infant was left in the care of her father, Amir Taquarius Oglesby, 19, at their Woodbury apartment. On Sept. 23, the mother returned home from work at around 4:50 p.m. and noticed that the infant appeared distressed and did not respond to her as usual. When she picked up the child, she cried out in pain, prompting the mother to take her to the hospital after observing swelling in her leg and foot.
On Sept. 25, detectives interviewed Oglesby at the residence. He told investigators that on the afternoon of Sept. 23, he picked up the victim from her bassinet and noticed her right leg was folded behind her left leg. He admitted that he might have moved her too quickly and noticed that her knee looked "weird" and "didn't look right," the documents said. Oglesby also acknowledged to investigators that he has a history of being “rough” with the victim, despite previous warnings to be more gentle.
Regarding the infant’s wrist injury, Oglesby admitted that he had picked her up by one arm, a practice he was advised against. He recalled feeling a "pop" in her wrist a few days earlier but did not report it to the mother. As for the vertebrae fractures, Oglesby claimed that the family dog might have jumped on the victim, but he also admitted to setting her down roughly on previous occasions.
Detectives consulted with hospital doctors about the victim's injuries. They reported that the femur fracture was an impacted break above the knee, consistent with excessive force. The wrist injury was described as being more likely caused by a yanking motion. Additionally, doctors dismissed the explanation of the vertebrae injuries being caused by a dog, noting a lack of corresponding scratches or other marks on the skin. The vertebrae fractures were estimated to be at least two weeks old, leading doctors to diagnose the case as child physical abuse.
On Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, Oglesby was taken into custody by Woodbury police and transported to the Washington County Jail, where he remains in custody. He faces a felony charge of malicious punishment of a child, punishable by a sentence of up to five years.
Oglesby made his initial appearance on the charge Wednesday, Oct. 9, where bail was set at $30,000 without conditions or $1,000 conditions, including no contact with the victim, remaining law-abiding and no firearm or weapon possession. His next court date is set for Nov. 20.
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