Police said the baby was taken to a hospital in non-critical condition.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A 34-year-old man was taken into custody after Memphis police said he bit his infant son on the face during a chaotic early Friday incident that moved through gas stations and ended inside a restaurant.
Police identified the man as Jerry Stark and said officers found him about 1 a.m. Friday after an ambulance request call. The case drew concern in Frayser after neighbors learned that the child, described as 3 months old, had been hurt and rushed for medical care.
According to police, officers arrived at a restaurant and found Stark inside, screaming and panicked. Restaurant workers told investigators that Stark had run into the business with the baby, lay down on the kitchen floor and said his family was trying to kill him. Officers said Stark repeated that claim and said he needed help.
Witnesses told police Stark had been at a Shell gas station before arriving at the restaurant. They said he was holding the child and asking for help, then got into a red SUV and went to another gas station. Police said witnesses tried to take the baby from Stark because he was squeezing the child and the baby appeared to be turning blue.
Investigators said Stark panicked during that struggle and bit the infant on the right side of the cheek. Witnesses then managed to pull the baby away from him and leave the building, police said. Someone called police, and officers later noted an injury on the right side of the child’s face.
Police also found the baby’s mother, who told officers she and Stark had been driving when he pushed her out of a moving vehicle and left in an unknown direction. Authorities have not released further details about where that happened, whether the woman was injured or what led up to the incident.
The infant was taken to a hospital in non-critical condition. Stark was placed in custody and was scheduled to appear in court Monday. Police had not made clear in early reports what charges he would face.
Neighbors in Frayser said they were shocked by the allegations. One neighbor told WREG that people in the community have to “step up first,” describing the case as painful for residents who heard about the child’s injuries.
The case remained active Monday as police continued to review witness accounts, the baby’s medical condition and the events that led officers to the restaurant.
Author note: Last updated May 4, 2026.