Keriaon Smith New Orleans babysitter charged with beating death of 6 month old boy after autopsy results reveal child’s death to be a homicide. Suspect was a family friend.
A New Orleans babysitter has been charged with beating death of a 6-month-old boy she was watching in New Orleans, police said.
Keriaon M. Smith, 19, was previously arrested on a cruelty charge but was re-booked with second-degree murder Tuesday after autopsy results ruled the child’s death to be a homicide, according to a news release from the New Orleans Police Department.
In addition to the murder charge, Smith is also facing one count each of domestic abuse battery, domestic abuse child endangerment, and second-degree cruelty to a juvenile according to online jail records.
The infant was found unresponsive March 5 while being cared for by a family friend, who was later identified as Smith.
Emergency medical services personnel found that the child had numerous injuries and wasn’t breathing, police said. He was taken to a hospital, where he was declared dead.
Ongoing investigation
Not immediately clear is what led to the babysitter killing the child and whether there had been previous instances of abuse.
Smith made an initial appearance in Orleans Parish Magistrate Court on Sunday; a magistrate judge set her bond at $100,000 according to LawandCrime.
A public defender was awarded to defend Smith.
If charged and convicted of second-degree murder, Smith would face a mandatory lifetime prison sentence.
Smith is currently scheduled to again appear in Orleans Parish Magistrate Court on Wednesday where a judge will determine whether to set a new bond amount based on the upgraded charges.
Police emphasized that the investigation into the child’s death currently remains open. Anyone with information relevant to the case is urged to contact the NOPD Special Victims Unit at 504-658-5267. Tips can also be provided anonymously at 504-822-1111.
