Fayette Co. Man Accused Of Beating 4-Month-Old Son To Death
CONNELLSVILLE, Pa. (KDKA) -- A Fayette County man is accused of beating his 4-month-old son to death.
Sean Paddrick Elko's life was short, and the infant's last days were spent in pain, authorities say. The 4-month-old child suffered injuries that would eventually take his life, injuries that Connellsville police say came at the hands of his father, Blake William Elko.
Court records show in the early morning hours of Dec. 2, paramedics rushed to a Connellsville home for reports of an injured child. When questioned by police, Blake said the baby was being fussy and would not take his bottle.
Blake, a one-time paramedic, told law enforcement that the baby squirmed and fell face-first to the floor.
According to court records, after the infant was removed from the apartment, he was taken to UPMC's Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh. When doctors examined the child, the injuries were significant, court documents show.
The infant's injuries included a traumatic brain injury; detached retinas; significant bruising on his face and arms; tissue tears in his mouth and lips; and healing rib fractures.
Doctors determined the injuries could not have happened the way Elko said. The injured child was taken off life support and died on Dec. 8.
Blake was arrested at a home in Kittanning and returned to Fayette County to face homicide and child abuse counts.