Bemidji Man Charged After Infant Tests Positive for THC, Multiple Injuries Found

Phillip Duwayne Jones Sr., 44, of Bemidji, was charged in Beltrami County after court filings say an infant evaluated at Sanford Hospital tested positive for THC and showed multiple injuries. Jones faces four gross misdemeanor counts of Endangering a Child (Situation Could Cause Harm or Death) under Minnesota Statute 609.378.1(b)(1). Prosecutors filed charges in Beltrami County District Court on Jan. 28, 2026 and he was charged via summons; he is scheduled to appear in court.

Court documents allege that law enforcement responded to the Sanford Hospital Emergency Department on Jan. 9, 2026 after medical staff reported a young child identified in the complaint as C.J. (born February 2024) was lethargic and "tested positive for marijuana." Examination notes cited in the complaint describe dried feces in the child’s diaper creases, bruising on the left arm that was consistent with being grabbed by an adult, and additional bruises, scratches and bite marks throughout the infant’s body.

The criminal complaint names the child’s mother as Fiona Fairbanks and reports that Fairbanks told officers the infant became pale and lethargic earlier in the evening. The complaint also records that Fairbanks allegedly said the children "rough house" and that she sometimes "loses her patience." Social services records referenced in the filings indicate prior reports of the children "failing to thrive" and a previous hospitalization of a child for THC ingestion.

The filings include an alleged offense date of July 9, 2025 in addition to the Jan. 9, 2026 hospital response; the complaint does not reconcile how those dates relate to one another. The approximate location listed in the court documents is the 6500 block of Nature Road in Bemidji. The filings do not specify Jones’s relationship to C.J. beyond naming him as the defendant, nor do they detail the infant’s current medical prognosis.

Beyond the criminal case, this situation raises public health and child welfare questions for Beltrami County. Accidental or intentional infant exposure to THC can cause lethargy and respiratory problems; any pattern of bruising and feeding concerns noted as "failing to thrive" also signals serious developmental risk. Families dealing with substance use, housing instability or stress need timely access to pediatric care, behavioral health services and trauma-informed child protection work.

For neighbors and care providers, the incident underscores the importance of reporting suspected child abuse or neglect to county child protection so cases can be assessed and children connected to services. The next steps in this case will play out in Beltrami County District Court, where scheduling and further filings should clarify the specific allegations and whether additional charges or protective actions follow.