A Charleston man on home confinement for a prior sexual assault conviction has been arrested after his 2-month-old son was hospitalized with serious injuries authorities say are consistent with abusive head trauma.
Jeremiah Gibson, 23, was arrested Tuesday and charged with child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury. Court records show Gibson had been serving a one- to five-year sentence on home confinement after pleading guilty in April 2025 to third-degree sexual assault.
The infant remains in serious condition at CAMC Women and Children’s Hospital after being admitted Feb. 16, according to Charleston police.
Doctors told investigators the baby’s injuries were not consistent with Gibson’s explanation that he accidentally dropped the child, causing him to hit a countertop and fall onto a tile floor.
According to a criminal complaint filed by Detective Joseph Means, the baby suffered two brain bleeds, two separate skull fractures, bilateral retinal hemorrhages and multiple other fractures — including both femurs — in various stages of healing. The child also experienced several seizures requiring intubation.
Authorities said the infant was deprived of oxygen, resulting in a stroke and likely permanent neurological impairment. Medical professionals advised police and prosecutors that the injuries were “highly consistent” with abusive head trauma, commonly referred to as shaken baby syndrome, and not with a short fall or accidental drop.
Investigators said Gibson gave multiple, inconsistent accounts of how the child was injured. A search warrant executed on his cellphone revealed deleted Google searches related to child neglect, forensic examinations, how child abuse charges proceed in West Virginia, investigative timelines and how to respond to detectives during questioning.
Following his arrest, Kanawha County home confinement officers filed notice with the court requesting that Gibson not be released, citing the arrest as a direct violation of his home confinement conditions.
Gibson’s prior conviction stems from a July 2024 case in which he admitted to having sex with a 14-year-old girl and acknowledged knowing she was underage. He was indicted on a felony charge of third-degree sexual assault, which carries a potential sentence of one to five years in prison, lifetime sex offender registration and extended supervision.
In April 2025, the Kanawha County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, represented by Assistant Prosecutor Joshua Gainer, offered Gibson a binding plea agreement in exchange for a guilty plea. Under the agreement, he was permitted to serve his sentence on home confinement instead of in prison. The deal required 10 years of supervised release and lifetime sex offender registration.
Stephanie Abraham, a Kanawha County circuit judge, sentenced Gibson under the terms of that agreement on April 15, 2025. The sentencing order allowed him to have contact with his child and any future biological children.
Police said the child abuse charge could be upgraded depending on the infant’s condition.
Gibson is being held at the South Central Regional Jail on a $100,000 cash-only bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 6.