Coroner: Baby's death a homicide; father charged with 1st-degree murder (Boulder, Colorado)

The Boulder County coroner has confirmed what everyone already knew: that the baby death was a homicide caused by a blunt force trauma to the head. Dad BENJAMIN KOLLER is charged with first-degree murder in the case.

http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_14087098?source=most_viewed

Boulder County coroner: Lafayette infant Jack Koller's death a homicide
By Vanessa Miller, Camera Staff Writer
Posted: 12/29/2009 12:31:51 PM MST

Nearly three months after a 4-month-old Lafayette infant died following alleged abuse from his father, the Boulder County Coroner's Office has officially ruled the baby's death a homicide.

The cause of Jack Koller's death was delayed complications of blunt force head injury, Coroner Tom Faure said Tuesday.

Long before the official homicide ruling this week, the baby's father, Benjamin Koller, 26, was charged with first-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death in connection with his son's death.

Koller was arrested July 24 on suspicion of child abuse after bringing his then 9-week-old son to the hospital with critical injuries from alleged abuse. The baby was released from the hospital in August into the care of his grandmother, and family members had hope he would make a full recovery.

Jack died Oct. 5, and Koller was charged with murder 10 days later.

The infant's mother and Koller's common-law wife, Jennifer Schmidt, 20, hasn't been arrested in connection with her son's death.

Faure said the cause and manner of death determinations took several weeks because his office had to review “numerous consultations.”