Washington man arrested, charged with murder of 4-month-old son

TACOMA, Wash. — A man in Tacoma, Washington, was arrested and charged with the second-degree murder of his 4-month-old son.

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In a news release, Tacoma Police Department said on Tuesday just after 8 p.m., the Tacoma Fire Department was called to an apartment in the 6300 block of N. 26 Street for a report of a child not breathing. First responders performed life-saving measures and transported the child to the hospital.

Staff informed police that the 4-month-old boy’s injuries were not accidental, authorities say.

The child died the following day at the hospital from his injuries, KIRO reported.

Samuel Byron Kennedy, 23, was arrested after the hospital’s social worker contacted the police, according to KIRO.

Doctors told the social worker that the boy had “recent abusive head trauma” and that he had prior injuries just 10 to 15 days before, according to probable cause documents from the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office obtained by KIRO.

The child’s mother told police that they have three children and on Tuesday she was at work all day, according to The Associated Press.

Kennedy said he picked up the child because he was crying and then rocking him and noticed a bit later that the child had exhaled deeply which was concerning to him, according to probable cause documents from the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office obtained by the AP. He then realized he was not breathing.

Police said that Kennedy at first denied dropping or shaking the child but according to probable cause documents from the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office obtained by the AP, Kennedy later admitted to shaking the baby after he became frustrated.

The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the boy died from blunt force trauma to his head, according to KIRO.

Kennedy’s bail was set at $1.5 million on Friday, the AP reported.

No further information has been released.