Dad with history of domestic violence charged with 1st-degree murder in beating death of 7-month-old son (Baltimore, Maryland)

Why it is a Very Bad Idea to let men with histories of domestic violence and assault take care of kids, especially helpless babies. Yet family court judges order kids into custody/visitation with these kinds of fathers all the time.

The parents were obviously not married and did not live together. Whether child support and/or court-ordered visitation was involved in Dad's "babysitting" is not discussed.

Dad is identified as FRANCOIS BROWNE.

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/01/08/father-accused-of-killing-7-month-old-son-had-history-of-domestic-violence/

Father Accused Of Killing 7-Month-Old Son Has History Of Domestic Violence

January 8, 2013 5:53

PM BALTIMORE (WJZ)—A Baltimore father is in jail, accused of killing his 7-month-old son. We’re learning more about what led to this baby’s death.

A picture of 7-month-old Kendall Browne was pulled from the Facebook page of his father, 29-year-old Francois Browne, who is now accused of viciously beating the infant to death.

“Really shocked, really surprised,” a woman said.

While the infant lived with his mother at an apartment complex in West Baltimore, the incident allegedly happened New Year’s Eve in Northeast Baltimore.

Investigators say Browne was watching the 7-month-old at the baby’s grandmother’s house on Sagra Road in Northeast Baltimore.

“The father is the only person right now implicated in the case,” said police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi.

According to the charging documents, Browne was the only one with the baby that night. He reportedly told police he played with the 7-month-old until they both went to sleep, and then woke up and found the baby not breathing, and that’s when he tried to perform CPR.

“The medical investigation revealed otherwise, the facts of the case revealed otherwise, and it turns out the baby was beaten to death,” Guglielmi said.

Baby Kendall spent several days on life support before dying Thursday.

The medical examiner soon ruled his death a homicide.

Court documents show he suffered severe head trauma and bleeding of the brain.

“That’s devastating. That’s really terrible,” a man said.

Monday, police arrested and charged Browne with first-degree murder and child abuse. Crimes those who knew the infant’s mother find hard to comprehend.

“It’s scary to know that somebody would do that to a baby,” a woman said.

Browne’s previous criminal history includes arrests for assault and domestic violence.

The baby’s death marked Baltimore’s first homicide of the year.