Hearing Set For NJ Man In Murder Of Infant Son

BURLINGTON, NJ (CBS) -- A Burlington man accused of killing his infant son is due in court this afternoon on murder charges. Authorities say he smothered his four-week-old son last Thursday because the baby wouldn't stop crying.

Burlington County district attorney Robert Bernardi says Erik Griffin (above) put a pillow over the face of his infant son, Nyir, to make him stop crying, removing the pillow when the baby fell silent.  Investigators say Griffin left when he realized the child wasn't breathing.

The boy was later discovered by his maternal grandmother, who tried to revive him. The infant was taken to Lourdes Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Griffin is being held in the Burlington County Jail in lieu of $750,000 bail.

Reported by Molly Daly, KYW Newsradio 1060.