An autopsy may shine a light on some unanswered questions surrounding the death of a Marine’s four-month-old baby.
Inside his home at the military housing unit at MCAS Miramar, police say a 22-year-old Marine was taking care of his four-month-old son Wednesday, when things turned tragic.
“They were watching TV,” Lt. Ernie Herbert said. “The father looked at the infant and discovered it wasn't breathing.”
The father dialed 911, started CPR and asked neighbors for help, police said. But when medics took the baby to Rady Children's Hospital, something seemed unusual.
“The baby had some injuries that were just not explained,” Lt. Herbert said. “Based on what the doctors are telling us about the seriousness of the injuries, it could possibly end up being a homicide.”
The newborn was put on life support. He died Thursday.
In addition to the newborn, the Marine was also looking after his one-year-old son Wednesday night. The infant’s mother wasn't home at the time.
“The mom takes care of the baby during the day and when dad came home from work, she went to school,” Lt. Herbert said.
Investigators questioned the father, who was later released. Now, detectives say they'll wait for the autopsy results to determine if this death was a homicide.
