OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – An Springfield Township father accused of nearly killing his 2-month-old son is facing first-degree child abuse charges.
Daniel Charles Gracer, 31, is being held in the Oakland County Jail on a $1 million bond set in 52-1st District Court in Novi by Magistrate Lewis Langham. If convicted, he faces a potential sentence of life in prison.
According to the sheriff’s office, the abuse happened on Dec. 23, 2024, a home in the 7000 block of Meadow Lane in Springfield Township for reports of an “unresponsive infant.” The infant was taken to a hospital where doctors found head and brain trauma.
A child abuse specialist at the hospital determined the injuries were “non-accidental,” according to the sheriff’s office. The specialist said the injury was due to being shaken.
The trauma was “nearly fatal,” according to the sheriff’s office. The child is likely to have severely delayed development.
Gracer was arrested Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, by members of the Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Apprehension Team. He is scheduled to appear in court for a probable cause conference on Feb. 18 in Clarkston.