Family worried about baby with dad

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) - A 22-year-old man will stand trial for allegedly shaking his 13-day-old baby to death in February. But the Office of Child's Ombudsman is looking to see if state protective service workers did their jobs properly.

Glenn Ross Sr. is charged with shaking Glenn Ross Jr. to death. His family said he suffers from bi-polar disorder and ADHD, and his great-aunt told 24 Hour News 8 she and other family members worried about the baby being alone in his care because of his mental issues.

"Glenn's like a child himself pretty much all of the time," said Cheryl Kirkpatrick. "I don't think that Glenn should have been left alone."

The baby was fatally injured when Glen Sr. was left alone to care for him. Everyone else who lived in the home were gone on appointments.

The baby's mother, Bridgette Moore, told 24 Hour News 8 Child Protective Service workers visited at the hospital after the baby was born. They allowed Moore and Ross Sr. to take the baby home with them, she said, and questioned why - knowing his mental history - they did not take the baby away.

That may be one of the issues the ombudsman will look at. That office routinely evaluates CPS involvement in cases where a child died to make sure caseworkers followed proper procedures.

It is not known why, exactly, CPS caseworkers were involved with the baby's parents, or why they decided the baby would be safe with them.

The state does not release that information. But it likely will come out through the Office of Child's Ombudsman's investigation.

24 Hour News 8's Ryan Takeo contributed to this report.