| October
12, 2005 |
| |
| Infant
Dead; Father Charged with Murder |
| ...baby was only 25 days
old, according to Sheriff |
| |
A new father
is charged with killing his son after an autopsy conducted this morning
revealed the newborn died of skull fractures.
Kenneth Michael Brown,
Jr. (right), 21, of 3450 Smith Road, Morganton is
charged with the murder of little Andrew Michael Brown, who was only 25 days
old, said Sheriff John T. McDevitt. The infant was pronounced dead at
Grace Hospital early Tuesday morning. |
 |
|
| An autopsy performed at Wake Forest University
Baptist Medical Center showed the baby sustained blunt trauma injury to the
back of the head resulting in two skull fractures. The pathologist, Dr. Patrick
Lantz also concluded that the infant had broken ribs and other bruising,
according to Detectives Crystal Watts and Gary Ollis of the Sheriff's
Office. |
| |
| Watts said that the infant had reportedly been
fussy all day Monday, and was taken to Grace Hospital Monday night around 8 PM
by Brown and his wife, Tonya Barrier Brown, 17. The couple reportedly told
hospital staff that Andrew was having stomach hiccups and breathing problems,
along with a bloody discharge when he sneezed. |
| |
| The baby's stomach was x-rayed, according to
Watts, and gas was found inside the stomach. Some colic drops were prescribed
and the baby was sent home. |
| |
| Watts said the parents took turns watching the
baby throughout the night, and around 6:20 Tuesday morning, the EMS was called
after the baby was discovered to have stopped breathing. |
| |
| Burke County EMS transported Andrew to Grace
Hospital where he was pronounced dead. |
| |
| Ollis said investigators went to the home today
looking for evidence after the autopsy results were made known to them by the
pathologist. |
| |
| Det. Sgt. Robert Beall and Ollis interviewed the
baby's parents late this afternoon, and Michael Brown was subsequently charged
with murder. |
| |
| "Michael Brown made statements to us that are
consistent with the injuries found on Andrew's body, and we believe the
evidence shows he is the one who caused those injuries," Beall said. |
| |
| Beall would not comment on the evidence, other
than to state that investigators believe the child sustained the initial
injuries on Monday afternoon, while Tonya Brown was at the store. |
| |
| Brown and his wife have no other children, Watts
said. |
| |
| "We see this kind of thing more often than
people think," stated Watts. "Some parents become stressed with their kids and
don't know how to handle it. Sadly, this case resulted in the worst imaginable
scenario." |
| |
| "This is truly a horrible tragedy, both for the
child and his young mother. Our hearts go out to the both of them," said
McDevitt. |
| |
| Michael Brown will be charged with murder
tonight and jailed under no bond until a first court appearance, McDevitt
said. |
| |
| Kirksey Funeral Home of Morganton is in charge
of arrangements for Andrew. |
| |
| ************************************************************** |
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