KELSO — A Kelso man has been arrested for investigation of murder in the death of a 1-month-old baby.
The Cowlitz County sheriff’s office says an autopsy conducted Monday by the Oregon state medical examiner’s office determined the death was a homicide and the child, James Childers, died of a closed head injury. The sheriff’s office says help was called Friday to the home where Christopher Everette, 20, lives with the baby’s mother. The boy had stopped breathing. He was airlifted to Oregon Health &Science University Hospital in Portland where he died Sunday.
Bail for Everette was set Monday at $1 million.
Doctors told sheriff’s detectives the baby had brain bruising, broken ribs, a broken arm and abdominal injuries. They said the injuries were consistent with shaken baby syndrome.
The sheriff’s office said Everette denied injuring the baby, but said he shook him for a minute or two after he found him not breathing.
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