Dad charged after bruises found on 1-year-old

A Cedar Rapids man has been accused of causing injuries to his daughter while she was in his custody.

Travis J. Ricklefs, 24, has been charged with child endangerment causing bodily injury after bruises showed up on his 1-year-old daughter. He was arrested Thursday morning at a car dealership in Cedar Rapids.

Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said the girl suffered the injuries sometime between Sept. 27 and Sept. 29 when she was in Ricklefs' custody at 224 Fifth Ave. SW. She said the girl had bruises on her head, arms and torso.

Ricklefs told investigators he was carrying his daughter when he tripped and she fell, Hamblin said.

"The injuries do not correspond to his explanation," Hamblin said.

Police first learned about the bruises on Sept. 29 when the girl's mother picked her up from Ricklefs and brought her to Mercy Medical Center. The Department of Human Services was also notified.

Ricklefs was taken to the Linn County Jail. He was no longer in custody Monday morning, a jail spokeswoman said.