Oak Harbor man charged after infant suffers fractures

Published 1:30 am Friday, July 31, 2026

An Oak Harbor man is facing a felony charge after his 5-week-old son suffered three bone fractures last year, according to court documents.

Prosecutors charged Nicholas O. Maines in Island County Superior Court July 21 with assault of a child in the second degree, a domestic violence charge.

A detective with the Oak Harbor Police Department started investigating the case on April 27, 2025. The report states that Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents were also involved in the investigation, as was Child Protective Services.

According to the detective’s report, the parents became concerned about the baby and took him to a pediatrician, where X-rays revealed a newly fractured ankle and healing fractures to his clavicle and a rib.

Maines, the child’s father, told doctors and the detective that he had bounced the baby on his leg and didn’t know if he might have jammed his foot during the bouncing, the report states.

He also described an earlier incident in which he tripped while holding the baby, causing the infant to strike his back on the bassinet, the report states.

After the X-rays, the baby was brought to Seattle Children’s Hospital for additional tests and treatment. The detective wrote that the baby was placed in the care of Child Protective Services.

According to the detective’s report, medical providers concluded the ankle fracture was a classic metaphyseal lesion, which the report describes as “highly specific for non-accidental trauma.”

The filing of charges came a year after the crime because investigators needed to collect additional records and information, according to the prosecutor’s office.

Maines’ arraignment is set for Aug. 10.