Dad charged with capital murder in beating death of 5-week-old son (Pleasant Grove, Texas)

Dad SHELTON KEITH ALEXANDER has been arrested on capital murder charges in the death of his 5-week-old son, who died from blunt force trauma (Dad apparently punched him at least twice in the abdomen).

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/crime/stories/DN-babydeath_12met.ART.State.Edition1.4babf8e.html

Pleasant Grove man accused of beating 5-week-old son to death
12:00 AM CDT on Wednesday, August 12, 2009
By SCOTT GOLDSTEIN and STEVE THOMPSON / The Dallas Morning News

A 20-year-old Pleasant Grove man was arrested late Monday on a capital murder charge in the beating death of his 5-week-old son, according to police documents.

Shelton Keith Alexander was being held on $1 million bail at the Dallas County Jail late Tuesday.

The baby's name was Adriel King Alexander, according to the Dallas County medical examiner's office.

Alexander admitted to police that he punched his son twice in the abdominal area, according to police documents.

Adriel was taken to Children's Medical Center Dallas on Sunday with rib fractures, bruises to his abdomen and multiple liver lacerations. He died early Monday.

The medical examiner's office ruled that Adriel died from blunt force trauma.

"It appears that all the injuries were acute," said child abuse squad Sgt. Brenda Nichols. "It would have happened pretty quickly over this weekend."

The boy's mother is not thought to have been involved in the crime, police said.

During an interview at police headquarters, Alexander admitted to punching the baby, investigators said.

Police documents said Alexander works at Pilgrim's Pride, the chicken processing plant.