The Pana Police Department has issued a statement, regarding an investigation into a four month old child that suffered serious injuries, along with an arrest made in the case.

On early Saturday morning at 3:10 a.m., the Pana Police Department received a call from Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, in reference to the condition of a four month old child. The child was being treated after being airlifted from the Pana Community Hospital around 10:52 p.m. on Friday. The child had obvious signs of bruising, healing-fractured ribs, and swelling on the brain.

The Pana Police Department and the Illinois State Police Zone 4 Investigations Unit began an investigation in coordination with the Christian County States Attorney’s Office, the Department of Children and Family Services, and Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. During the investigation, ISP Special Agents from Zone 4 and Zone 6 out of Collinsville conducted interviews with the parents at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital.

The father of the four month old child, 22 year-old Robert A. Stivers of Pana was taken into custody for the offense of Aggravated Battery to a Child under 13 years of age, as a result of an arrest warrant issued by Christian County State’s Attorney Mike Havera. Stivers was transported to the St. Louis County Correctional Center, and is being held on a one-million dollar bond pending an extradition hearing. Stivers will be returned to Christian County.

As of last update, the four month old infant remains in critical condition in Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in the pediatric intensive care unit. The case remains under investigation.