Man arrested after dropping baby on ground to ‘toughen’ him up, police say

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF/Gray News) - A South Carolina man is facing charges after reportedly dropping a baby on the ground while being intoxicated.

WMBF reports that 29-year-old Richard Register was arrested earlier this month on charges that include unlawful conduct toward a child and public intoxication.

According to an arrest report, a witness told a Myrtle Beach police officer on Aug. 8 that they saw a man, later identified as Register, shake a baby in a stroller.

The witness also claimed to have watched Register drop the child on the ground after throwing the baby into the air and over his head, the report stated.

The officer then reported observing Register pick up the infant off the pavement.

The 29-year-old admitted to the officer that he dropped the child and that he had been drinking, according to the report.

He also reportedly told the officer he drops the boy often to “toughen” him up and “there is nothing wrong with playing rough.”

According to the officer, he saw redness on the baby’s back and a small scrape on the boy’s stomach. The baby also appeared to be dehydrated and was covered in sand and dirt.

Register was told to put the baby back in the stroller and the officer took him into custody. He was then searched, and police say they found about 5 grams of marijuana on him. Additionally, they found a bottle of liquor under the baby’s stroller.

The baby was taken to the hospital for further assessment.

The South Carolina Department of Social Services responded to the hospital and took emergency protective custody of the child.

Register was booked into the J. Reuben Long Detention Center.

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