A man is now facing murder charges after the coroner’s office ruled his five-year-old daughter’s death a homicide, officials with the Baton Rouge Police Department said.
East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner Dr. William “Beau” Clark said the victim, 5-year-old Summer Hawkins, died of multiple blunt force injuries.
Officials with the Baton Rouge Police Department said they received a call from 23-year-old Aaron Hawkins around 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, April 6 about his daughter being unresponsive after a fall.
Officers and EMS personnel responded to Hawkins’ home in the 3000 block of South River Road and rushed his daughter to Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital.
Shortly after Summer arrived at the hospital, she was pronounced dead at 4:07 p.m., arrest records state.
Arresting officers wrote in the affidavit that hospital staff observed: “severe bruising and trauma which was not consistent with an accidental fall.”
SEE ALSO: Father Arrested After 5-year-old Daughter Dies From Blunt Force Injuries After Being Beaten With A Belt
Authorities said homicide detectives were then called to the scene.
Investigators with the coroner’s office examined the child’s body and observed severe bruising on the buttocks, both upper legs, hips, back, and both forearms, according to the probable cause affidavit.
“Minor swelling and bruising [were] also observed on the left eye and chest,” the arrest report said.
Investigators said they interviewed a witness who said Hawkins would hit Summer with a belt as a form of discipline.
The witness also told authorities she had to intervene in the last week while Hawkins was excessively hitting his daughter, according to the arrest report.
Detectives said in the arrest report that Hawkins admitted to hitting Summer on multiple occasions recently.
Hawkins was arrested and initially booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on Thursday, April 7 on the charge of cruelty to a juvenile. Police said the charge against Hawkins was upgraded to first-degree murder on Friday, April 8.
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