A 24-year-old North Carolina man has been charged with murder in his own son’s death after police said the child sustained brain damage, according to reports.
Raleigh police said they were called to UNC Hospitals on Sunday for a serious assault on a 5-year-old boy.
Police said medical staff reported that the injuries sustained by the child were consistent with a serious assault and that the assault happened in Raleigh. Investigators said they determined 24-year-old Amir Devon Hines was responsible for the injuries.
The child has been identified as 5-year-old Karter Holloway. He had autism and was non-verbal.
Warrants state that on Sunday, Hines severely injured his son, leaving him with a large subdural hemorrhage causing pressure on the brain. Court documents said that pressure created a midline shift with brain swelling into the spinal canal and stem.
Karter’s grandmother, Tiffani Holloway, said Hines told her he fell in the shower Sunday. Hospital staff said the child’s injuries are consistent with a serious injury.
“Medical reports told us the medical truth,” Holloway said. “Which was he was beaten all over. Karter had bruises from head to toe.”
Hines was arrested and charged with felony intentional child abuse causing serious bodily injury on Monday. Police said the boy died Monday.
Hines, who was already in custody, was charged with murder on Tuesday, police added.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, a subdural hematoma is a type of traumatic brain injury where bleeding happens inside the head but outside the actual brain tissue. A midline shift happens when the brain moves off-center inside your skull as a result of pressure in the head.
A criminal history search found Hines has been on parole since he was released from jail in August. He was incarcerated for felony robbery with a dangerous weapon and was initially sentenced to six years behind bars.
Hines appeared in court Tuesday afternoon on the initial charge of felony child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury. During that appearance, he asked for a public defender to be appointed “for now.”
Court officials noted that the child had died and that Hines now faces a murder charge. Hines told the judge he is aware of that, and the judge told him that he would appear in court Wednesday on that charge.
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