Father Arrested After Child Suffers Life-Threatening Head Injury

A Union City man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of felony child endangerment after his 5-year-old son was hospitalized with a life-threatening head injury earlier this week, police said.

The child, who was taken to the hospital Monday night, remains in critical condition, according to Lt. Ben Horner of the Union City Police Department.

At about 7:30 p.m. Monday, an Alameda County Fire Department medical unit responded to a call about the injury at a home on the 32000 block of Monterey Drive, Horner said.

According to Horner, the child was unresponsive and suffering from a traumatic head injury. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

The child’s father, Prashant Malik, 38, told Union City police officers that the child was injured by a metal object that Malik threw during an argument, unintentionally striking the boy, Horner said.

Malik was detained and ordered to undergo a mental evaluation. After his release, he was interviewed by detectives and subsequently arrested Wednesday on suspicion of felony child endangerment. He is being held at Santa Rita Jail and is scheduled to appear in court on Friday at the Fremont Hall of Justice.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Detective Roberta Paul at 510-471-1365 or the anonymous tip line at 510-675-5207. Tips can also be e-mailed to tips@unioncity.org.