A TORONTO father is being credited with helping to save his four-month-old baby after a marathon fight with the baby's mother turned violent. The couple started a heated argument about 4 a.m. yesterday, one that "escalated and de-escalated" for hours, according to police.

During some frantic moments, police said the woman picked up her baby and tried to choke him.

"The mother grabbed the baby and the father attempted (to stop) her from hurting the baby," said Det. Nick Ashley, of 55 Division. "The baby was dropped on to a sofa during the fight."

Finally, more than nine hours after the fight began, the baby's dad called 911 and said the baby had been injured and threatened. He said he could no longer control the situation, police said.

Just before 1:30 p.m. yesterday, police and paramedics arrived at the 17th-floor apartment at Main St. Square Apartments, on Danforth Ave., after receiving a 911 call.

"The fight reached a boiling point and he felt he was in a situation where he could no longer protect the baby," an officer said yesterday. "It reached the point where he felt the only way it was going to end was with the police."

The officer said when police arrived, the "baby was sleeping and okay."

But Det.-Const. Richelle Leck, of the Family Victim's Unit, said the boy was taken to the Hospital for Sick Children by paramedics and was being checked by members of the hospital's SCAN (Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect) unit last night.

The Children's Aid Service has also been called in to help investigate.

An 18-year-old woman has been charged with assault causing bodily harm, mischief, and two counts of assault with a weapon. She appears at College Park courts today.

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSun/News/2004/07/27/558379.html