A four-month-old baby is in critical condition after allegedly suffering violent abuse at the hands of the child’s father, according to Midt- and Vestsjællands Police. The father is accused of inflicting the injuries, and the mother is charged with complicity for failing to intervene.

Both parents were arrested on Saturday and are scheduled to appear in court in Roskilde on Sunday morning. The police have not released specific details about the case, but confirmed that the parents are from Midtsjælland.

While the father faces charges for the direct violence against the infant, the mother is accused of knowing about the abuse and failing to take action to protect the child. The police believe this inaction constitutes a violation of the penal code. Authorities have not disclosed how the parents will plead to the charges.

Legal precedent exists for punishing individuals who remain passive in the face of violence, particularly against children. As an example, the Eastern High Court sentenced a mother to six months in prison last year for not intervening when the father of her twins was violent towards them. The current case is still in its preliminary stages, and further information will likely emerge as the investigation progresses.