Bemidji Man Charged After Infant Tests Positive for THC

Beltrami County (trfnews.i234.me) A Bemidji man faces four gross misdemeanor counts of endangering a child.

Prosecutors say an infant was lethargic and tested positive for marijuana.

The case was filed in Beltrami County District Court on January 28, 2026.

Court records name the defendant as Phillip Duwayne Jones Sr., 44, of Bemidji.

He is charged under Minnesota Statute 609.378, subdivision 1(b)(1).

That law covers putting a child in a situation likely to cause harm or death.

What investigators say happened

A criminal complaint says officers went to Sanford Bemidji Medical Center on January 9, 2026.

Staff reported that a child identified as C.J., born in February 2024, was lethargic.

The complaint says the child tested positive for marijuana.

The child’s mother, Fiona Fairbanks, told officers the infant became pale that evening.

Staff also found dried feces in skin creases near the diaper area.

They also saw bruising on the child’s left arm.

The complaint says the bruise looked like an adult grab.

Injuries were reported on multiple children

The complaint says medical staff saw bruises, scratches, and bite marks on the infant.

Investigators later went to a home on Nature Road in Beltrami County.

Jones lives at the home, according to the complaint.

Investigators say they found marijuana stored in a kitchen drawer.

Fairbanks told investigators that Jones sometimes uses gummy products.

She said gummies have been left out before, according to the complaint.

Jones denied having gummies, the complaint says.

Jones told investigators he smoked marijuana inside the home twice in the past week.

The complaint says four children lived in the home at the time.

A later exam at the Family Advocacy Center of Northern Minnesota noted injuries on each child.

The infant had bruises and small cuts on the face and body, the complaint says.

One twin child had about 20 injuries, including abrasions and bruises.

Another toddler had about 15 injuries, including a scar on the abdomen.

A second toddler had about 10 injuries, including scars and groin irritation.

Fairbanks told investigators the children “rough house,” and bite each other.

She also said she sometimes loses patience, according to the complaint.

Social service records noted earlier reports about poor weight gain, the complaint says.

Records also noted a prior THC ingestion hospital visit for a child.

Charges and next steps

Jones was charged by summons, according to court documents.

He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

A court appearance is scheduled in Beltrami County District Court.

The complaint lists January 9, 2026, as the response date.

A record also lists July 9, 202,5 as an alleged offense date.

I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.