TEXARKANA, Ark.–A man accused in the death of a two-month-old infant who died in May was formally charged with murder and evidence tampering on Tuesday by prosecutors in Miller County.
Jeffrey Allen McPherson, 39, allegedly caused injuries to young Carter Hamilton that ended his life May 25. Court records show that a felony information charging McPherson was filed Tuesday in Miller County.
According to a probable cause affidavit, McPherson took the infant to Wadley Regional Medical Center after finding the boy unresponsive early in the morning of May 25. McPherson allegedly told investigators with the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department that he had been doing “bicycle exercises” with the baby to relieve an upset or gassy stomach before putting him down.
Investigators visited the house in the 200 block of Senator Street in Texarkana, Arkansas, where the baby had stopped breathing. While there, the detectives noticed cameras in the residence. When they attempted to recover video from the time period during which the baby became unresponsive, they determined the footage had been deleted. That allegation led to the evidence tampering charge now pending against McPherson.
An autopsy reportedly determined that Carter died of blunt force injuries to his chest and had broken ribs, according to the affidavit.
The baby’s mother was incarcerated at the time and had reportedly left her baby in the care of McPherson, who is identified as her fiance in the affidavit.
If convicted of murder in the baby’s death, McPherson faces 10 to 40 years or life in prison. If found guilty of tampering with evidence, he faces up to six years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
McPherson is currently being held in the Miller County jail with bond set at $500,000. The case is assigned to Circuit Judge Brent Haltom, Division 2 for the 8th Judicial District South.
