Miami man charged with murder in son's death after initially telling investigators it was accidental
MIAMI -- A MiamI father has been charged in connection with his young son's death, which the suspect reported was accidental before investigators later ruled it a homicide, according to a police report.
Rashad Rancher, 41, was taken into custody last week after being questioned about the original story he gave investigators about his son's death.
The report says Rancher has been charged with second-degree murder. He was taken to the Miami-Dade County jail, where he was being held without bond, according to police
According to court documents, police were called on Nov. 12 to a residence in the 14200 block of SW 283rd Street shortly before 3 p.m,
When police arrived, they found the unresponsive boy, whose age and name were not publicly disclosed, on a bedroom floor. The child was taken to Homestead Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the police report says.
Rancher told police his son had been in the father's bedroom with his sister while playing and had climbed on a dresser to get a tablet. The man told investigators the dresser tipped over, pinning the boy underneath.
The man told police he found his son and removed the dresser from him and the boy was "conscious and alert." Rancher said he went to sleep and when he woke up the boy was unresponsive.
The medical examiner's office found that the boy's injuries were "not consistent" with the story the man told investigators.
Rancher was taken into custody on March 15 for an unrelated investigation, according to police.
The police report does not indicate how or why investigators connected Rancher's actions to the death of his son. And his response to investigators was redacted.
The police report also does not indicate why it took four months for the death reclassification.
