A Slidell man faces first-degree murder charges in the death of his 7-week-old son.
25-year-old Anthony Dearmas allegedly punched Karter Smith off of a couch last Wednesday when the child would not stop crying. The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office says Smith was knocked to the ground and fell on his head, causing severe injuries.
The child was later determined to be brain dead and passed away Saturday. Coroner Dr. Charles Preston determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.
Dearmas was initially arrested with second-degree cruelty to a juvenile. He was booked on the murder charge Monday.
"How someone can do this to a defenseless infant is beyond me," said St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Randy Smith. "Even more disturbing is the fact that this was his own child. Mr. Dearmas is where he belongs, behind bars."
Photo: STPSO