Dad ordered to trial in beating death of 3-month-old son (North Versailles, Pennsylvania)

Dad MICHAEL LEWIS has been ordered to trial on a homicide charge in the death of his 3-month-old son. It appears Dad was babysitting while high on a whole slew of drugs, and beat the baby to death. The infant died from blunt force trauma to the head. The police officer called to the scene says that Daddy Dearest also resisted arrest and assaulted HIM. Whadda nice guy.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10071/1042310-100.stm

Father ordered to trial in infant's death
Friday, March 12, 2010
By Jim McKinnon, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A North Versailles man today was ordered to trial on charges he beat to death his infant son last month.

However, some of the related charges against Michael Lewis, 54, were dismissed by District Judge David Barton, or withdrawn by the prosecution.

He now faces one count of homicide.

The suspect called 911 on the evening of Feb. 7 while the 3-month-old baby's mother, Heather Cutruzzolla, had been on an errand.

Ms. Cutruzzolla, 26, returned home while Mr. Lewis was on the phone and found her son, DeCarlos Lewis, unresponsive in his crib.

At a preliminary hearing this morning, an advocate from the Allegheny County office of Children, Youth and Families testified she interviewed Mr. Lewis this month at the county jail, and he told her he struck the baby twice on the back of the head.

Assistant District Attorney Lisa Pellegrini argued after the hearing that the admission by Mr. Lewis is inconsistent with the number of injuries discovered during an autopsy on the child.

Assistant Public Defender Robert Foreman successfully argued against charges of child endangerment, resisting arrest and aggravated assault against a police officer.

North Versailles police Officer Thomas Nee testified today that he had been assaulted, though not injured, by Mr. Lewis during his arrest at the scene.

When Mr. Lewis summoned police, he reported that he had taken a lot of pills, including Ambien, Flexoral and Neurontin.

The suspect was taken to UPMC McKeesport, where he was treated for the drug overdose.

The baby also was taken to UPMC McKeesport, where he was pronounced dead at 7:41 p.m. that day.

The medical examiner determined that the child died of blunt force trauma of the head.

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