Wash. dad accused shaking infant son to death after he got 'frustrated'
02/27/2023 1:08 pm PST
TACOMA, Wash. (TCD) -- A 23-year-old father was arrested last week after his 4-month-old son died from blunt force trauma to the head due to shaking.
According to the Tacoma Police Department, on Feb. 21 at 8:16 p.m., the Tacoma Fire Department was sent to an apartment on the 6300 block of North 26th Street regarding an infant who wasn’t breathing. Medics attempted lifesaving measures on the infant, and he was transported to a hospital, where he later died.
Doctors at the hospital reportedly determined the child’s injuries "were caused by non-accidental trauma."
Following his son’s death, police arrested Samuel Kennedy for second-degree murder. He’s being held in the Pierce County Jail with bond set at $1.5 million.
KCPQ-TV reports the little boy was in the midst of suffering from a brain bleed when he went to the hospital last week. He also reportedly had two other brain injuries that were healing.
According to court documents cited by KCPQ, Kennedy’s behavior was "odd" while he sat in the waiting room at the hospital. He allegedly asked hospital employees if they called CPS on him and said he did not hurt his son.
Kennedy allegedly told police he was looking after his three children while their mother went to work, and at one point, he "f--ked up and shook" his son.
He reportedly said he "got frustrated," but "didn’t mean to kill him."
KCPQ reports Kennedy "shook him too rough and he started gurgling."
KOMO-TV, which also cites court documents, reports Kennedy allegedly initially told police one of his other children threw a bottle at the victim, who was identified as Cody Kennedy. Kennedy reportedly said he consoled Cody, then put him in his rocker. He called 911 after hearing him take a "deep exhale in a manner that caused him alarm."
One of the social workers reported noted Kennedy’s "attitude did not match the tragedy of his child."
Court records show Kennedy’s jury trial is scheduled to begin April 13.
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