NORTHPORT (WGME) — A Northport man is accused of assaulting his 11-week-old daughter, breaking her ribs and sticking his finger down her throat, leaving her unable to breathe.

The Waldo County Sheriff’s Office says 19-year-old Neil Lagasse lives in Northport with his infant daughter and the baby’s mother. They say he brought his daughter to the emergency room Friday night for choking, but when doctors noticed even more injuries, they called police.

Chief Deputy Jason Trundy says investigators went to Waldo County General Hospital that same night, where they say Lagasse admitted to hurting his 11-week-old daughter.

“We believe that it may have extended over a couple of days,” Trundy said.

According to an affidavit filed in court, the baby was struggling to breathe when she arrived at the hospital, and x-rays showed she had three broken ribs that appeared to have been broken over the past few days. She was taken to a Portland hospital by helicopter.

The affidavit says Lagasse, “admitted he had stuck his finger deep into [the baby’s] throat in an attempt to make her stop crying.”

Court documents state he also admitted to grabbing the baby very aggressively under her arms and pulling her roughly from her swing and he believed that was when her ribs would have been broken.

According to the affidavit, Lagasse told investigators he did this out of frustration because the baby wouldn’t stop crying.

Lagasse is charged with aggravated assault and domestic violence assault on a child less than six years old, both felonies. He’s being held on $1,000 cash bail.

“It’s a very emotional type of a thing for the family, for the emergency room staff that has to deal with it, law enforcement, for the community,” Trundy said. “It’s always hard when you have a victim that’s that young, that small. It’s always hard.”

Officials with the sheriff’s office say the baby has been released from the hospital, but their investigation is ongoing.