Deer River Man Indicted For Fatally Biting Child
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Deer River man was indicted Friday on murder charges in connection with the biting death of his 3-month-old son – which he blamed on the neighbor's dog.
Emery James Jenkins, 38, faces two charges of first-degree murder and one second-degree murder charge for the death of his son on Oct. 18, 2014, according to the Itasca County Attorney's office.
The fatal attack happened on Oct. 16 when Jenkins allegedly bit the boy several times because he wouldn't stop crying, according to the child's mother.
Jenkins told police that the boy's bites came from his neighbor's dog when the boy was outside in his car seat. He also told investigators he had dropped the child on his head in a bathtub.
The child's mother told police that Jenkins made up the story before he called 911, and he didn't want to take the child to the doctor out of fear that blood from the bite wounds would soak through the infant's clothing.
He was convicted in 2010 of felony domestic assault, and ex-girlfriends told police he made verbal threats of violence towards children in the past, and even slammed another son's head in a car door on one occasion.
Jenkins will next appear in court on Jan. 27. He could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted.