A newborn baby whose parents were charged with murder and child abuse Tuesday had a fractured skull, broken bones and severe burns when he died at a Richmond hospital last week, the Contra Costa County medical examiner said Wednesday.
The autopsy report on the 5-week-old baby’s death indicated that he suffered from critical injuries that included seven broken ribs, a fractured skull, internal bleeding, a broken right femur, facial scarring, dehydration, malnourishment, bruises and burns.
The Contra Costa County district attorney on Tuesday filed murder, assault and child abuse charges against the baby’s parents, Richmond residents Ray Ray Darn, 35, and Marilyn Northington, 28.
An enhancement was filed in connection to the child abuse charge, meaning the couple could face increased prison time if convicted. The charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Darn and Northington are being held in the Martinez Detention Facility in lieu of $2.2 million bail.
Richmond police received a 911 call from an employee at the Marriott Courtyard Hotel on 3150 Garrity Way on Feb. 4 around 6:30 p.m., police spokesman Aaron Pomeroy said in a statement. The employee reportedly saw a couple rush out of the hotel with an infant who was not breathing.
Less than 30 minutes later, emergency room employees at Kaiser Permanente Richmond Medical Center reported an unresponsive 5-week old child, police said.
Darn and Northington were arrested on suspicion of abusing and killing their newborn son the same night.
Police “found drug paraphernalia...including a meth pipe and two butane lighters” in the hotel room where the couple lived, said Scott Alonso, a spokesman for the Contra Costa County district attorney.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
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