Crime & Public Safety
Infant hospitalized with severe brain bleeds; Mobile man charged with aggravated chld abuse
A 3-month-old infant in Mobile was reported to have suffered severe brain bleeds and related injuries, and a 19-year-old Mobile resident has been charged with aggravated chld abuse in connection with the injuries. According to court documents, investigators allege the infant sustained two hemorrhages between the brain and skull and one hemorrhage behind an eye; investigators describe signs consistent with shaken baby syndrome, also referred to as abusive head trauma.
Medical and investigative records indicate the chld was evaluated at a hospital where clinicians documented the intracranial hemorrhages. A pediatric hospitalist explained that abusive head trauma commonly affects very young infants and can result from violent shaking or high-velocity impact, with potential long-term consequences such as seizure disorders, sensory loss, intellectual disability, or motor problems.
Law enforcement has charged 19-year-old Joshua Smiley Jr. with aggravated chld abuse. Records indicate Smiley was released on a $60,000 bond. Court filings show Smiley pleaded not guilty on Sept. 23, 2026; a judge appointed the Mobile County Public Defender’s Office to represent him and set a preliminary hearing for Nov. 3, 2026.
Allegations in the charging documents attribute the cause of the specific brain injuries to the defendant’s actions per investigators; those allegations are subject to adjudication in court. No conviction has been recorded and criminal proceedings are ongoing.
All individuals accused of a crime are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
More Mobile County news · Request a correction or case update
All individuals mentioned in criminal allegations are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.