A 20-year-old Forest Lake man who gave his 6-week-old daughter a brain injury on March 10 or 11 was sentenced Oct. 29 for first-degree assault.
Austin Scott Zembal pleaded guilty to the charge in August. He was sentenced to eight years and seven months in prison, though some of that could be served on probation. He was first arrested in April, after an intensive investigation into his actions on the March evening.
According to court records, Zembal harmed his daughter while he was home alone and the baby’s mother was at work. The mother did not notice the injuries until later in the day on March 11, when her daughter seemed to be feeling unwell. Zembal reportedly did not tell her about the injuries the baby suffered under his care.
After the child was brought to the hospital, it was found that the baby had suffered internal bleeding of the brain, spine and eye, as well as other trauma to the ears and head. Doctors believed the injuries were intentional.
When questioned by police Zembal said he was frustrated by the baby’s cries and changed her diaper too forcefully, accidentally knocking the child off of a bed and onto the floor, hitting her head on the bed frame on the way down. After the girl fell off the bed, Zembal said, she became quiet, and he left her on the floor for about a minute before changing her diaper. “I wanted to call the ambulance, but I didn’t,” he reportedly told officers.
The girl was released from the hospital after about a month. Police reported that she remains at home, but doctors are predicting potential long-term problems as she grows.