Parents of conjoined Mankato twins accused of abusing child

(AP) A Mankato couple was accused Wednesday of abusing their 4-month-old son, one of two conjoined twins who underwent separation surgery last fall at the Mayo Clinic.

Valerie J. James, 19, and Robert L. Heck III, 26, were charged with one count each of felony first-degree assault and aiding and abetting the alleged crime, said police Lt. Dan Muyres.

Reached at home Wednesday, Heck denied the allegations but said he would not comment further until he spoke with his attorney.

James gave birth to the boys - named Jacob and Jordan - in November. Joined face-to-face at the abdomen, they immediately underwent successful separation surgery.

It wasn't immediately clear which child was injured. One of the boys had remained in the hospital after the other boy was released in January to his parents, who had been staying at a Ronald McDonald House in Rochester.

According to a criminal complaint, that boy was returned to Mayo Eugenio Litta Children's Hospital Jan. 11 because of some swelling.

Doctors found eight fractures of the boy's legs and 16 rib fractures. The complaint said some injuries appeared to have begun healing, while others were newer.

A doctor told police it would take a large amount of force to inflict the injuries because of the flexibility of infants' limbs, Muyres said.

Police said the parents have not been arrested or jailed. Both children were in supervised care away from the parents. The couple also has another child, a toddler.