Father faces charges in son's death

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – A Battle Creek man sits behind bars, accused of shaking his infant son to death.

Police arrested Shawn Delano Brown on Friday night when his five-month-old son, Shawn Jr, went to the hospital.

Originally Brown was charged with child abuse, but his son died on Sunday.

"We are going to recommend to the prosecutor this be an open murder," said Chief David Headings of the Battle Creek Police Department.

Now, the 26-year-old Brown could face possible murder charges.

According to police reports, Brown was looking after his five-month-old son at his house on Rittenhouse Street in Battle Creek when the child allegedly started choking.

A relative who was at the home at the time said she saw "blood coming out of the baby's nose and mouth."

Brown took his son to Battle Creek Health Care System, later transferred to Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. Hospital officials filed a complaint with Child Protective Services, who in turn called police to investigate.

"They gave us the indication that this was something that did not happen naturally," said Chief Headings.

The infant reportedly suffered from multiple injuries to his head, and died late Sunday afternoon.

"The baby is actually being autopsied, so we will have an exact cause of death," said Chief Headings.

Newschannel 3 did contact the mother's family on Monday, they said they were too upset to speak to us.