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Father of 18-Month-Old Boy Speaks Out
Kevin Brewer has been unable to eat, drink, or sleep.
He said he is shaking from all the stress
"I haven't been able to stop," said Brewer as he showed NBC 5 News pictures of his son on his cell phone.
Brewer said he's still in shock after learning the condition of his little boy - 18-month-old Cayden.
The toddler was airlifted to Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland last week.
"I hope justice is served," Brewer said.
What Police Are Saying
27-year-old Matthew Hyrup was arrested and charged with unlawful sexual penetration and assault.
According to police, Hyrup repeatedly beat his you stepson Cayden, and even penetrated him with either his body part or a foreign object.
Putting Faith in the Justice System
Brewer said he doesn't claim to know Hyrup's innocence or guilt; but he's putting his faith in the justice system.
"If he did do it, I hope the courts do their job," he said.
Brewer said he and Stephanie Hyrup, the boy's mother, were together for three years before they broke up last march. He said he's only heard a little about Matthew Hyrup.
"He's pretty well known for being basically a little gangster," began Brewer. "The people that I know that know him are the people we try to stay away from," he continued.
Hyrup was previously convicted of driving under the influence, driving suspended, unlawful use of a firearm and possession of meth.
Aside from the allegations against Hyrup, Brewer just wants his son to be healthy again.
"The body never forgets."
Brewer said he hopes 18-month-old Cayden is too young to remember any of it, but experts at the Childrens Advocacy Center say trauma is long lasting.
"Some people think because you can't remember it that it didn't happen, but the body never forgets," said Marlene Mish, Executive Director at the Children's Advocacy Center in Medford.
Meantime, Kevin Brewer is waiting on pins and needles for his son to slowly recover from his injuries.
Brewer said his ex-wife has a no-contact order against him, so he's unable to visit his child.
18-Month-Old Doing Well
However, there is some good news, little Cayden is progressing well. At last check, he's in fair condition. It was upgraded from serious condition.
As for Matthew Hyrup, we spoke with his parents on Saturday.
They told NBC 5 News they don't believe the allegations.
About the Author
Christine Pitawanich
Christine Pitawanich was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. In 2010, she received a master's degree in Broadcast Journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University in New York.
Christine also has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the University of Washington.
Before joining the NBC5 News team, she had the opportunity to file reports from Washington D.C. for WFFT FOX Ft. Wayne News in Indiana. Christine has also interned at KOMO-TV in Seattle.
Christine loves to ski, try new food and have fun in the outdoors.
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Comments (12)
Ive known matt over haft my life a know his family, our six year old sons have ben best friends since they were born. Matts not a perfect person and he has made mistakes but he is a good father and his son loves him more than anyone in the hole world matt would not do that to a child EVER
Maybe you should have your son examined also. I don't understand your not being safe rather than sorry. Good fathers dont beat children enough to put them in the hospital for several days. That should alarm you!
Somebody did. And somebody was responsible for caring for that baby. Seems to me the person in charge of the baby's care is just as culpable as the person who hurt him.
The child was left in the step fathers care. If he didn't do it, then who did and where was the step father? We could ask one million questions and never know the answers. God knows! My prayer is for protection, truth and healing. Whatever the final story is! The outcome needs to be real! If the step father did this, he needs help or he will do it again to someone else. My family has been through sexual abuse and sexual assault. Unless you have been there, you can not imagine how or why anyone would do something like this and many times it is the very last person you would suspect. The statistics still leave me in a fog even after over 10 years of counseling and research. Thank the Lord little Cayden is healing! He has a long road of recovery before him. Lord be their strength!
matt is my cousin and i love him so much i dont think he did this and i want to belive in my hart that he dint and wouldent ever i dont clame to now but i have been through some crazy stuf with matie and i have never seen a side like that and iv seen the good and bad about him i dont now if he did it butt if he did let him bern in hell but i belive in my hart that he dint and wouldnt i love you mattie and i hope all this aint true!my condleces to the family of this little boy i have a six month old son and i cant even imagin i am sorry sorry and hope he gets throug this
Lots of pathetic cowards fool people close friends family even parents but evientually the truth reveals itself and lets remember this WAS NOT HIS SON!!!! And 1 things for sure SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THAT LIL ANGEL!!!!
MissG doesn't seem to understand who did what to who in this sad story.
Real question is: why was a child allowed to remain in a household with a drunk, gun toting, meth user.
Didn't anyone raise a concern to social services? Community health worker? neighbor? and if not why not? The mother has gone before a judge to keep the father away - didn't the judge do some assessment of the home situation of the child at that time?
These questions should be addressed by the report - who and what systems failed this child?
People who stand up for child abusers are sick!!! Don't you think that medical professionals know what they are talking about? Your opinion based on the fact that you know this person is completely irrelevant. The RAPE of a child and the traumatic injuries it leaves behind as evidence are unmistakable. This child couldn't have raped and beaten himself so I hate to break the news but your little friend is a PEDOPHILE and a MONSTER!!! Your stance on this matter is based solely on opinion while the evidence of abuse is based on fact.
@ Alex, it's called bonding. An emotional connection you have to your own child or a child you've spent a significant amt. of time with. If your capable of it. Obviously, Matt has no connection with this poor baby who was beaten and sexually assaulted (alledgedly). I wish he was innocent, but like all the others accused before, Renee King (Justice for Lily), Brandon Hayes (Dominick Calhoun), and thousands of others dirtbags who abuse/kill/rape children, he'll be proven guilty. So print this page so you can eat your words and go have YOUR son examined by a Dr.
This may make someone mad but guess what I don't care. If you know a person for their whole life if they are on drugs and stuff like that then they do stupid things and I am telling you that he is going to tell everyone he did not do it but the baby was in his care and either way he is as guilty as whoever he says did do it because he allowed it to happen. Also if the mother knew that he had a record of drug possession she should have never left that child home with him no matter what. I would never leave my kids with someone who had any type of record of drugs or anything because you never know what could happen and you don't want to ever have to think is something going to happen when you are not there. JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED FOR THIS CHILD!!!!!!!!!!
My response was to Alex. I am aware of the accusations, and I feel friends of MH should be concerned and possibly have their children checked also. I don't k now how that comes across as not understanding.
I don't care how long people have known Matt. The child was beaten and sexually assaulted. He was the only person with the poor child. Instead of enabling this piece of trash, think of the child that was abused and has to suffer, he had no way of defending himself. Matt did do it, the child did not do that to himself. Anyone who defends him is an idiot and an enabler. He deserves a bullet.