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8-week-old dead, mother's 22-year-old boyfriend charged with murder

Posted at 4:51 PM, Nov 22, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-22 22:38:32-05

KOKOMO, Ind. -- A 22-year-old is charged with murder after his girlfriend's infant died from severe trauma to the head. 

The infant, 8-week-old August M., died from blunt force trauma on November 9. 

The Marion County Prosecutor's Office filed formal charges against Jaquail Smith for murder, aggravated battery and voluntary manslaughter on Wednesday in connection with the child's death. 

The investigation began on November 8 when police were called to Howard Regional Hospital after an 8-week-old showed up with serious head injuries. 

Court documents filed by the prosecutor's office say Smith was watching the baby while his mother was with a friend on November 8. When the mother returned home around 7 p.m. she told officers she found Smith in his room, watching him. Smith told her that the baby had stopped breathing but he had gotten him to start again. 

The mother told investigators that she noticed her son's head was swollen and immediately took him to the hospital to be treated. She did not know how the child was injured. 

When investigators interviewed Smith he told them the baby had stopped breathing while he was playing video games and he had shook and pinched him until he started again. When the baby woke back up, Smith said he changed his diaper and then went back to playing video games until the child's mother came home. 

Smith told police he did not know how the child had gotten injured. 

The child's cause of death has been ruled "blunt force trauma" but an official autopsy report will not be available for 8-10 weeks. 

Smith tested positive for THC, Amphetamine and Methamphetamine the night August died. 

Smith's bond has been set at $500,000. 

The case remains under investigation and anyone with information should contact Detective Brent Wines of the Kokomo Police Department or the Howard County Prosecutor's Office. 

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