Baltimore County Officer Faces Felony Child Abuse Charges In Harford County

BALTIMORE COUNTY - Mitchell Tuveson, a 29-year-old Baltimore County police officer, has been placed on unpaid leave following charges of felony child abuse in Harford County, according to the Baltimore County Police Department.

Harford County officials stated that Tuveson was apprehended by the Harford County Sheriff's Office on June 23. He faces three counts of felony child abuse, first-degree assault, and a second-degree assault misdemeanor. Tuveson's wife faces similar charges, plus an additional count of neglecting a minor.

Court documents reveal that the Harford County Sheriff's Office began investigating the Bel Air couple in May after staff with the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at the University of Maryland Medical Center discovered "concerning injuries" on the then two-month-old victim.

The document details how medical staff found injuries indicating multiple "non-accidental traumatic event[s]," including skeletal fractures, which can be caused by shaking.

The investigation revealed that the May incident was not the first time the infant was brought to a hospital with concerning injuries. In late April, Tuveson and his spouse brought their ailing infant to the Greater Baltimore Medical Center. According to charging documents, doctors directed the couple to use a saline solution to clear mucus from the infant's nose.

On May 1, the baby began choking early in the morning post-treatment, as reported by Tuveson's wife to investigators. In an attempt to aid the baby's breathing, the parents allegedly slapped the baby's back. Tuveson also said that he administered chest compressions and rescue breaths.

Following occurrences where the baby arched its back and cried, the couple sought help at the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center on May 3, where doctors diagnosed the baby with acid reflux. Similar symptoms led them to return to the Bel Air hospital on May 15.

These separate incidents culminated in the May 17 visit to the University of Maryland Medical Center's pediatric intensive care unit in Baltimore, where doctors alerted investigators to the potential "non-accidental trauma."

After additional examinations of the infant were performed in May, doctors informed the Harford County State's Attorney's Office about their suspicions of the parents causing repeated harm to the baby.

According to charging documents, medical professionals didn't see any plausible explanations for the injuries, apart from consistent abuse, given the evidence of old and new injuries. Doctors said that the injuries could not be attributed to aggressive CPR or other explanations provided by the parents.

Tuveson is currently under GPS home detention, allowing him to leave only for work or court. According to the Harford County Sheriff's Office, he was ordered to relinquish "any additional firearms" as well as his service weapon. According to court documents, he has also been ordered to avoid any contact with his child, who is currently staying with a relative.

A preliminary hearing for the case has been scheduled for July 26.