Atwater father arrested in death of 4-month-old son, police say

ATWATER, Calif. (KFSN) -- Residents successful an Atwater vicinity said they were successful disbelief aft learning a neighbour had been arrested successful transportation with the decease of his babe son.

Police were called to a location conscionable aft 10 a.m. connected Jan. 23 aft receiving a study that an babe was perchance deceased, according to Atwater Police Chief Richard McEachin.

"Just aft 10 o'clock successful the morning, we got a telephone that determination was an babe that was perchance deceased astatine the house," McEachin said.

Officers attempted lifesaving measures, performing CPR connected the babe until archetypal responders arrived. Paramedics aboriginal pronounced the babe dormant astatine the scene.

Neighbors said they noticed a dense constabulary beingness that morning.

Some residents, who asked not to beryllium identified connected camera, described the concern arsenic heartbreaking.

"It's devastating. Nobody wants to escaped a child," said neighbour April.

Everyone wrong the location astatine the time, including the baby's grandparents, was questioned by police. On Wednesday, some parents were brought successful for a 2nd circular of questioning.

"After the interviews, the detectives determined determination was capable grounds to apprehension the begetter successful the decease of the child," McEachin said.

Police arrested 20-year-old Maleek McIntrye, who is accused of sidesplitting his babe son, DaVonte. He was booked into the Merced County Jail.

McEachin said cases involving young parents tin beryllium particularly difficult.

"A batch of times, young parents are doing the champion they tin but they don't truly recognize the gravity of what's going on," helium said.

The apprehension sent different question of daze done the neighborhood.

"I was successful shock. I'm inactive successful shock. I inactive can't wrapper my caput astir it," said neighbour Jimmy.

The infant's decease has affected the full community, including instrumentality enforcement.

"Infants are truthful guiltless and it's truly hard to cognize that they died astatine the hands of an adult," McEachin said.

A last autopsy volition find DaVonte's nonstop origin of death. Police said the babe suffered trauma to his body.

McIntrye faces a complaint of kid endangerment with the anticipation of large bodily wounded oregon death.

"Adults are expected to support the infants and marque definite that they are provided everything they request and are capable to turn up and beryllium blessed small children truthful it's truly devastating to cognize erstwhile thing similar this happens," McEachin said.

The probe remains ongoing.

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