Baby injured by falling out of police car after being taken from home in controversial SWAT raid

Officers rammed open a Florida family home during a raid and allegedly injured a one-year-old boy while he was in police custody

One year old child allegedly injured while in police custody. (Moiya Dixon / ABC Channel 3)

The Pensacola Police Department has launched an investigation after parents say a child was hurt in its custody following a raid at a private residence.

Police rammed open Corey Marioneaux Jr’s Florida home early in the morning, while his two small children, aged one and three, were at home in bed.

Mr Marioneaux, 24, shot at officers during the February raid, which was made in relation to a shooting in Pensacola in January. The family claims the father was acting in self-defence and as he thought the officers were intruders.

Moiya Dixon, the children’s mother, lives at another address and received a call following the raid. “I get my baby and I see his face – and it’s almost unrecognisable compared to how he looked when I left him last,” she told Local12 news.

A picture of her one-year-old she took after the incident shows her son’s face bruised and scraped, with a swollen lip and bumps on his forehead.

(Moiya Dixon / Facebook)

The injury allegedly happened when both children were in the backseat of a car with an investigator. The investigator left the vehicle, and when he returned he didn’t realise the smallest child was leaning against the door. The officer opened the door the child fell out.

“The child was checked by EMS for injuries. Both children were later released to family members,” said Pensacola Police Department in a statement to ABC Channel 3. On seeing her son’s injuries Moiya Dixon immediately took her baby to hospital, where doctors confirmed a range of injuries.

Local12 reported that Pensacola Police Chief Eric Randall apologised to Ms Dixon for her child’s injury and pledged to look into the matter.

Mr Marioneaux will make his first court appearance on charges of attempted murder of a police officer on 24 February. The family claims he is a licensed gun owner and has no criminal record, and was protecting his family from people entering his home.

Police told reporters they announced they were at the property for “approximately 10 seconds” before forcibly entering the residence.

“He wasn’t a convicted felon, he wasn’t a person of interest,” said Marcus Lett, a relative of Marioneaux, to ABC Channel 3. Pastor LuTimothy May said Mr Marioneaux was a positive influence in the local community, and volunteered at the church and local organisations.

“The young man, once he found out it was the police, he laid down the weapon, he came out with his hands up,” said Pastor May.

“How can we move forward to make sure this doesn’t happen to another innocent young man who’s out there doing the best he can to raise his two children?” asked Pastor May.

Mr Marioneaux was released from police custody on a $50,000 bond.