Milton man found guilty of assaulting infant son

A Milton man has been found guilty of hitting and severely injuring his 3-month-old son.

Jacob Krall, 21, was convicted of one count of assault and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, after a two-week trial. He was found not guilty of a separate count of endangering the welfare of a child.

Krall injured the child at his home on March 19, 2023. The prosecution said during opening arguments that Krall caused a severe head injury while he was caring for his son. The child’s mother, Krall’s ex-girlfriend, lives in Granville and they share custody.

A CT scan at the hospital revealed a subdural hematoma and there was internal bleeding and ruptured blood vessels in his eyes and cheeks, according to prosecutors.

The infant was in the hospital for over a week to receive treatment.

Special Victims Bureau Chief Jennifer Buckley said during opening statements that the prosecution would not be able to state exactly how those injuries were caused. However, she said that there would be evidence presented of holes in the walls and door of his bedroom, where he cared for the infant. Police also found marijuana, a vape pen and flakes of marijuana in the baby’s bassinet, according to Buckley.

District Attorney Karen Heggen credited the teamwork that led to this conviction. There were more than 100 items of evidence and 16 witnesses called to the stand, including four treating physicians and a forensic nurse examiner.

“Bureau Chief Buckley meticulously presented the complex medical and physical evidence to the jury, which demonstrated that Defendant Krall had caused physical injuries, including bilateral subdural hematomas and bilateral retinal hemorrhages to the three-month-old victim. The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office investigation proved that the Defendant was the one who caused the baby’s injuries.”

During opening statements, Krall’s defense attorney, Joe Hammer, said his client loved his son and performed CPR on him when he was not breathing. He also pointed to the lack of direct evidence.

Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 19. He faces a maximum sentence of 7 years in prison.