Aug. 28—ANDERSON — The Madison County Prosecutor's office has been given 72-hours to file criminal charges against an Alexandria man for striking an infant.

Zentrail Nathaniel Ejiasa, 18, was arrested by Alexandria police Friday on preliminary charges of domestic battery against a family member under the age of 14, neglect of a dependent and resisting law enforcement.

Assistant Chief Brian Holtzleiter was dispatched to an address in the 600 block of West Jefferson Street for a report of a domestic battery on a baby, according to the probable cause affidavit.

When officers located Ejiasa outside the residence, the affidavit states, he attempted to walk away, resulting in a charge of resisting law enforcement.

The great aunt of the 2-month-old baby girl told Holtzleiter she left the infant in the care of Ejiasa on Thursday .

The great aunt said she left the residence for about an hour and returned to find the baby injured.

The court document states Holtzleiter observed an injury on the baby's right lip and four lines of bruising along the left side of the face from the left eye to the left ear.

Ejiasa said he fell asleep on a couch and the baby fell on a plug strip. Holtzleiter photographed and measured the plug strip.

A doctor at Riley Hospital said the injuries were not consistent with a fall from the couch to the plug strip, and she determined the injuries were a result of blunt force trauma characteristic of a slap mark.

When Ejiasa was confronted with this information, according to the affidavit, he commented he wasn't going to say he slapped the infant and the interview ended.

"He stated he was not going to tell me he slapped the baby and the interview did not progress," the affidavit reads.

Ejiasa has a pending case in Marion for pointing an unloaded firearm at a person earlier this year.

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.