Crystal Lake father arrested, charged with harming infant daughter

A Crystal Lake man faces up to 30 years in prison after his arrest Monday on charges he caused serious injuries to his 3-month-old daughter on Christmas Day at the family home.

Rajesh Chilakapati, 40, of the 7700 block of Crystal Springs Road, is charged with two counts of aggravated battery to a child and two counts of aggravated domestic battery stemming from an incident that police said left the girl with injuries to her head, eye and clavicle.

Chilakapati is free after posting $10,000 bond Tuesday morning.

"My client is innocent and we are going to vigorously defend against these charges," his attorney, Mark Gummerson, later said.

The arrest follows a nearly two-month investigation launched Dec. 28 when the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services contacted McHenry County Sheriff's police about the child's injuries. Investigators, who worked with doctors at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago and the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Rockford, determined that the girl was with her father when the injuries happened, Lt. Andrew Zinke said.

"His version of how the injuries occurred doesn't match up with the evidence," he added. "The (medical) specialists found it implausible as well."

The girl does not appear to have suffered any permanent injuries as a result of the incident, Zinke said.

Aggravated battery to a child is a Class X felony, punishable by a mandatory six to 30 years in prison. Aggravated domestic battery is a Class 2 felony, punishable by three to seven years in prison, or probation.

Chilakapati is scheduled to appear court March 3.