ST PAUL, Minn. — A St. Paul man is charged in the death of his 4-week-old son after a medical examiner found a number of injuries caused by trauma, including a skull fracture that caused the boy's death.
Orancy Chea, 23, is charged with second degree murder without intent.
A criminal complaint details how medics were called April 23 to an apartment at 1807 Stillwater Avenue in St. Paul on reports an infant was unconscious and had a temperature of 103 degrees. The child was rushed to Children's Hospital, where he died shortly before midnight.
An autopsy by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office revealed the infant had a lacerated liver, a lung contusion, broken ribs, a skull fracture with a brain bleed, bruises to the head and internal abdominal bleeding. Investigators ruled the boy's cause of death was a fractured skull, and that it was a case of homicide.
St. Paul Police went to the apartment on Stillwater Avenue, and took Chea and the baby's mother into custody.
Investigators talked to a neighbor who described a baby crying for 10 to 15 minutes, and three to four cycles of pounding that sounded like someone hitting a wall.
Chea agreed to speak with police, and told them the baby had been crying for several days with a high fever. When told his son had a number of severe injuries, both old and new, and asked if he was responsible, police say Chea answered "not that I know of." He denied hurting the baby or dropping him.
When pressed investigators say Chea admitted to getting frustrated with the baby and losing his temper. He allegedly told police he held the boy too tightly and then threw him down on his back, causing the infant to strike his head on the floor.
If found guilty Orancy Chea could be sentenced to 40 years in prison.
