COEUR d'ALENE - A 20-year-old father pleaded guilty Friday to a felony charge for critically injuring his son, who was 20 days old at the time of the July incident.

James D. Blanchard faces up to a possible 30 years in prison because of an enhancement for infliction of great bodily injury to his son Noah's head.

Blanchard is scheduled to be sentenced June 18 in 1st District Court by Judge John Luster.

Blanchard already has served more than 290 days in jail.

His son continues to suffer brain impairment, and the long-term prognosis is unknown.

Blanchard, Noah, and the boy's mother, Angelina Ray, lived in an apartment at 1042 N. 17th St., where the injuries reportedly took place.

Prosecutors said after Blanchard's arrest that witnesses would be able to describe him at different times allegedly shaking Noah, forcing him to eat, screaming at him, tossing him across a room, and slamming him down into a crib.

Noah's mother said at the time that he was born a week premature.

Luster on Friday ordered that Blanchard may be released from Kootenai County jail. Blanchard will be living with his parents until sentencing.

A no-contact order remains in place, keeping him from his son.