Father Holding Newborn Gets Stun-Gun Jolt from Guard at Hospital

By Anastacia Mott Austin

The Associated Press has just released a videotape given to them by a man who claims his newborn daughter suffered injuries when a security guard used a Taser stun-gun on him while he was holding the baby. The taser was used to prevent him from leaving the hospital where she was born.

The incident occurred in April, when William Lewis, 30, tried to leave the Women’s Hospital of Texas with his newborn daughter, Karla. He claimed that he and his wife, Jacqueline Gray, were not being treated well at the facility, and attempted to leave the maternity ward by elevator. Ms. Gray is shown on the videotape following him into the elevator.

The tape shows Lewis coming back out of the elevator. According to hospital representatives, each newborn is given a wristband that will prevent the elevator from working if someone unknown to the staff attempts to leave with the baby.

The tape then shows two security officers talking to Lewis, who is holding the baby, and then they all move out of camera range. Witness accounts all agree that one of the security guards, David Boling, an off-duty police officer, then used his Taser stun gun against Lewis, who fell to the ground.

The baby fell as well, and Lewis claims that she landed on her head, though no witnesses can corroborate this—the actual fall was not recorded on camera.

The hospital released a press statement in which hospital staff claim that Lewis was belligerent, and unable to inform them as to his relationship to the infant. They became concerned and called security.

The press release read, "Mr. Lewis became verbally abusive by using vulgar expletives. When Mr. Lewis’ behavior became threatening, endangering the infant and employees, licensed law enforcement officers followed their professional standards to protect those involved."

Lewis was taken into police custody and faced charges of child endangerment, though a grand jury did not indict him on those charges.

And while Lewis may have been "hostile" toward hospital staff, experts agree that using a stun gun on someone holding a baby is perhaps not the best idea. "I’ve got to wonder what kind of moron would Tase an adult holding a baby," said George Kirkham, a criminologist at Florida State University and former police officer, to reporters. "It doesn’t take rocket science to realize the baby is going to fall."

Lewis has filed a lawsuit against the hospital, claiming that his daughter sustained permanent injuries in the fall.

"She shakes a lot and cries a lot," Lewis told reporters. "She’s not real responsive. Something is definitely wrong with my daughter."

In June, Karla was removed from the custody of her parents and placed with Child Protective Services (CPS) because of an incident of domestic violence between Lewis and Gray.

A CPS representative spoke with the press and stated that the baby was in good health, and didn’t seem to be suffering from anything related to a head injury.

The security officers and the hospital continue to claim that the officers acted in the best interest of the child.

The case has ignited a debate in the public about the proper use of Taser guns. "The Taser itself is a legitimate law-enforcement tool," said Kirkham to reporters. "The problem is the abusive use of them…they’re overused now."