Maplewood Man Charged In Death Of 18-Month-Old Baby
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 35-year-old Maplewood man is accused of killing an 18-month-old baby girl Thursday morning, according to the Ramsey County Attorney's Office.
At 11:03 a.m. on Thursday, Maplewood police responded to the report of a baby who was not breathing at a residence on the 2500 block of Barclay Street.
According to the criminal complaint, officers arrived and were met by the defendant, identified as Leb Mike Meak, who appeared very calm and unconcerned to the responding officers. He led police downstairs to a bedroom where the child was found on her back not moving. She had a number of bruises on her body and face and was pronounced dead at the scene.
When asked if the child had been recently injured, Meak told police that she fell and hit her head on a space heater in the bedroom, but he did not take her to a doctor. He said she had been last awake about 15 minutes before police arrived, saying he went to the kitchen to get a bottle and when he returned, she was not breathing.
Meak told police that the baby was not his, but was his girlfriend's. He said she lives in Farmington and works in Burnsville. While medics were trying to revive the baby, the baby's mother arrived upset and crying. She confirmed that the baby had been staying with and was being cared for by Meak.
When talking to police, Meak allegedly admitted that he "roughed her up" that morning when she kept trying to get out of the bed, saying that he may have caused the fatal injuries from the "jerking." He said he shook her and that she appeared lifeless as he was shaking her, according to the complaint.
A preliminary autopsy found multiple external injuries and multiple internal injuries to the abdominal area. The cause of death has been determined as homicidal violence.
Meak now faces charges of second-degree murder. If convicted, he could face up to 40 years in prison.