Parents Arrested For Abuse, Assault and Murder Of 5-Week-Old Baby In Richmond
MARTINEZ (CBS SF) -- A couple has been charged with the brutal assault and murder of their five-week-old son, authorities announced Wednesday.
The Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office said charges were filed Tuesday against RayRay Andrederral Darn, 35, and Marilyn Northington, 28. Aside from the murder charges, the two were charged with felony child abuse and felony assault on a child causing death, along with an enhancement of willful harm causing injury or death.
According to the DA's office, Darn and Northington took the baby to Kaiser Permanente hospital in Richmond on the evening of Feb. 4 because he was not breathing. The baby, who was severely malnourished and had visible injuries including burns marks on his face, was pronounced dead in the emergency room. In addition, one of the baby's leg appeared broken and had also been burned, the DA's office said.
Richmond police who served a search warrant at the Courtyard Marriott where the couple was staying found drug paraphernalia in the hotel room, including a meth pipe and two butane lighters, the DA's office said.
An autopsy conducted by the coroner's office found baby had suffered a broken right femur, facial scarring, dehydration and malnourishment, bruising on the top of his right thigh, thermal burns on his nose and right cheek, and thermal burns to his lower part of his body, seven fractured ribs, bleeding inside his skull, and a skull fracture, the DA's office said.
Both Northington and Darn were scheduled to appear in court Wednesday afternoon for their initial arraignment. Each was being held on $2,200,000 bail.
