Father accused of stabbing son appears in court, 911 call released

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A New Hanover County father made his first court appearance this afternoon to face charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and child abuse after allegedly stabbing his 1-year-old son last week.

David Batchelor, 28, remained silent, his mouth covered by a mask after Deputies say he spit on an officer and refused to walk. During his brief court appearance as a judge kept his bond at $2.5 million. Batchelor’s next court date is Jan. 12.

Also today, the county released a 911 call from a neighbor last Thursday night.

“The woman started screaming saying, ‘Help me, help me, help me,'” the man, who lives across the street from Batchelor and his family, tells a 911 operator. “There’s something wrong with her little infant. We need an ambulance right away.”

During the call the man says that his girlfriend is a nurse and helping as she can, but realizes the child’s injuries are worse than first expected.

“There’s an incision on the side of the baby, and the baby’s insides are coming out,” he says. “He’s turning blue right now. Please! Right now.”

Throughout the call, the caller says the baby is conscious and breathing, but he’s not sure what led to the injuries.

“All I know the woman said her boyfriend went nuts and kicking… or somebody was kicking her and she was trying to hold the baby or something,” he says. “All I know is I went outside to smoke a cigarette out back, and I heard somebody screaming, ‘Help me! Help me with baby! Help me, help me, help me!’ And I run out the front door.”

About six minutes into the call, EMS arrives, and the man can be heard telling them to get inside quickly before pointing out the suspect.

“There’s that (expletive) over there that did that to this kid,” he says. “You need to go get him.”

An arrest warrant released yesterday detailed the child’s injuries. It said the boy was cut through to the spinal cord, causing his bowels to explode outside his body and costing him kidney and spleen function.