Wichita father arrested on suspicion of child abuse, attempted murder

Thomas Avery Harper, 20, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of attempted first-degree murder, child abuse and four counts of aggravated battery.

At around 2:15 p.m., Wichita police responded to a child abuse call at Wesley Hospital in Wichita. Once there, police contacted a 20-year-old mother and a 2-month-old boy, who had serious injuries to his face and leg, Officer Charley Davidson said.

The mother had left the boy in the care of Harper, who is the boy’s father, Davidson said. When the mother left, the boy was asleep. When she returned, the boy had “sustained multiple injuries,” Davidson said.

Wichita police arrested Harper at his home in the 2700 block of North Fairview, near 27th North and Arkansas, according to police documents.