KENNEWICK, Wash.- A 41-year-old Kennewick man arrested in connection to the death of a 2-month old baby in his care in 2021 is now facing manslaughter charges.
According to KPD, on Sept. 14 officers were called for reports of a 2-month-old girl who has stopped breathing at an apartment on the 4300 block of West Hood Avenue.
Probable cause documents from Benton County Superior Court reveal that when police arrived the mother of the child was screaming and pointing at a man and saying he hurt her baby.
The suspect reportedly tried to drive away from the apartment, but was blocked in by emergency vehicles.
The baby’s mother told police that she left home at 6:00 a.m. for her job as a bus driver in Pasco. The suspect reportedly called the mother shortly after 6:30 a.m. saying something was wrong and the baby wasn’t breathing.
According to court documents the mother called 911 and reported the incident, adding that the suspect was easily frustrated by the child and had only watched her twice.
Medics performed life-saving measures for almost an hour, but were unsuccessful and the child was declared dead shortly after 7:30 a.m.
On September 15, the suspect called a Kennewick Police Detective according to court documents and claimed that he woke up to the baby making “gurgling” noises and found her to be “unresponsive.”
Kennewick Police developed probable cause for the arrest of the 41-year-old man after an autopsy on the child and consultation with medical and child abuse experts.
The Snohomish County Medical Examiner performed an autopsy on the baby on September 15, 2023 and according to court documents concluded that injuries, such as hematomas and hemorrhages were “consistent with non-accidental head trauma, including shaking.”
Child abuse expert Dr. Alex Levin reviewed the autopsy findings and found the death was the result of shaken baby syndrome.
On Oct. 9, the U.S. Marshals Task Force located and arrested the 41-year-old for suspected Manslaughter 1st degree. According to probable cause documents the suspect has two prior convictions for assault of a child in 2003 and 2006
