The death of an Arima baby on Tuesday is now being considered murder following an autopsy yesterday.

BY CAMILLE CLARKE

SEVEN-MONTH-OLD Mikale Malachi Ferrier was beaten to death.

An autopsy report on the child, of Evergreen in Carapo Village, Arima—who was pronounced dead on arrival at Arima Health Facility on Tuesday morning after a reported fall—revealed that he died of multiple skull fractures, fractured ribs and physical battering.

The autopsy was conducted at the Forensic Science Centre yesterday.

A 20-year-old male relative, who has been in custody since Tuesday when the child died, is assisting police with further investigations.

Police said around 5 am on Tuesday, Mikale was with a male relative who said he was preparing milk for him.

According to the police report, the man said he tripped as he entered the gallery and the baby fell out of his hand.

The report said the child began to vomit and was rushed to the hospital, where he was examined by the doctors and pronounced dead.

Hospital doctors reported that the infant had several bruises on his body.

Detectives said they suspected the child’s head was maliciously damaged. One officer said, “He was killed and the matter is being treated as a murder.”

Villagers had complained that Mikale was physically beaten by a man.

The baby’s mother Mikalhla, who was at the Forensic Science Centre yesterday, did not want to be interviewed.

The young mother, dressed in a blue jeans outfit, kept her eyes lowered and did not answer questions posed to her.

©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited

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