LAKEWOOD – A 36-year-old Lakewood man has been charged with murder in relation to the death of his three-month-old daughter.
On December 5, the Lakewood Township Police Department and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit arrived at Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood for a report of a three-month-old infant allegedly found unresponsive by her father. The father, David Smith, 36, of Lakewood told officials he called 911 immediately when he found his daughter unresponsive.
The infant was taken to Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus by emergency medical service personnel and later was transferred to Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick for further evaluation and treatment. After examination, doctors at RWJ discovered that the infant was suffering from significant internal injuries. Investigation revealed that Smith was home with the infant when she sustained her injuries on December 5.
On December 8, the infant was pronounced dead and on December 9 a post mortem examination was performed which revealed the cause of death to be Shaken Baby Syndrome. According to the Ocean County Medical Examiner, the infant died of Shaken Baby Syndrome due to blunt force trauma to the head. The manner of death was determined to be a Homicide, and after extensive investigation, Smith was identified as the individual responsible for the infant’s death.
On December 9, Smith was arrested at his residence in Lakewood and charged with Murder the following day.
“The facts and circumstances uncovered in this investigation are beyond tragic. What happened to this innocent baby is disturbing,” Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer stated. “We in law enforcement will always stand up and fight for the most vulnerable members in our society, and no one is more vulnerable than an infant. Parents are supposed to protect, not harm, their children. Justice will be accomplished for this precious baby.”
The public are reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
