Dad charged with 2nd-degree murder of 8-month-old son; had previously reported phony kidnapping (Carthage, Missouri)

Dad EDDIE SALAZAR, SR. has finally been charged with 2nd-degree murder in the death of his 8-month-old son. Dad had previously filed a phony police report saying the baby had been abducted by "two masked men."

Except for the extra drama, this sounds like a routine case. Dad was alone with the baby while Mom was at work (murdered baby stories very often start this way). He probably got "frustrated" because the baby was crying or some such nonsense, and bashed the child in the head. (The baby had a skull fracture, and apparently died from a blunt-force trauma injury to the brain). Then Daddy probably panicked, threw the baby's body in the river, and made up his crazy "masked men" story.

http://www.joplinglobe.com/cnhi/joplinglobe/homepage/local_story_048172804.html?keyword=leadpicturestory

Published February 17, 2010 05:28 pm - CARTHAGE, Mo. — The father of 8-month-old Eddie A. Salazar Jr. was charged Wednesday with second-degree murder based on an autopsy finding that the baby died of blunt-force trauma to his head.

Salazar baby’s father charged in death w/ probable-cause affidavit
By Jeff Lehr

jlehr@joplinglobe.com

CARTHAGE, Mo. — The father of 8-month-old Eddie A. Salazar Jr. was charged Wednesday with second-degree murder based on an autopsy finding that the baby died of blunt-force trauma to his head.

A probable-cause affidavit filed in Jasper County Circuit Court in support of the charge against Eddie A. Salazar Sr., 29, of Carthage, states that “a combination of physical evidence and statements made by (the father) indicated he was responsible for the death of his son.”

Dean Dankelson, the Jasper County prosecutor, said an autopsy performed by the Boone County medical examiner’s office found evidence of bone fractures, including a skull fracture suffered by the baby the night of his death. Dankelson declined to say what other bones had been broken or to discuss whether any of the fractures indicated previous abuse.

Cause of death

The autopsy determined the cause of the child’s death to be blunt head trauma and the manner of death to be homicide, the prosecutor said. He said the medical examiner does not consider the death to be a shaken-baby case.

“There would be other findings in a shaken-baby case that were not present here,” Dankelson said.

He declined to discuss whether the medical examiner believes the baby’s head was struck with an object or was swung against an object or hard surface.

The probable-cause affidavit estimates the time of the baby’s death to be 9:30 p.m. on Feb. 4, while he reportedly was in the “sole custody” of his father in their home at 227 E. Mound St. in Carthage. The boy’s mother, Yadira Aguilar, was at work at the time and is not a suspect in the child’s death, according to authorities.

False report

The father called 911 at 11:04 p.m. the day in question and reported that his son had been abducted by two masked men who he said entered the home and struggled with him. An Amber Alert was issued, and a massive law enforcement search for the child and his abductors was launched. But the father’s kidnapping story reportedly fell apart less than 24 hours later under questioning by investigators.

The boy’s body was found by searchers the afternoon of Feb. 6 in Spring River east of Carthage. The body was snagged on a tree’s limbs along the river’s edge. The baby was wearing nothing but a one-piece suit and socks.

“I believe the child was dead before he ever went into the river,” Dankelson said.

But the prosecutor declined to discuss autopsy findings in any further detail. Dankelson said he also is prohibited by court rules from revealing anything the father may have told investigators after his abduction story fell apart.