A 19-year-old Missouri father allegedly shook his 5-week-old son by the legs, slammed him face-first onto a hardwood floor and then used the boy's own hands to strike him in the head, leaving the newborn with severe brain bleeding, brain swelling, retinal hemorrhages and multiple broken ribs, according to court records.
Background
Kenai Logun Kelley and his girlfriend, 19-year-old Starr Mariah Vesey, lived together with their infant son at a home in the 1400 block of E. 24th Street in Greene County, Missouri. According to probable cause documents, authorities responded to their residence on July 28 regarding an injured infant described as "lethargic and making grunting noises."
First responders found the boy "cold and unresponsive" at the home and observed injuries consistent with abusive head trauma. Emergency medical personnel transported the child to Cox South Hospital for treatment before he was airlifted to St. Louis Children's Hospital due to the severity of his condition.
The Investigation
At St. Louis Children's Hospital, doctors documented severe brain bleeding, significant brain swelling, retinal hemorrhages, multiple rib fractures and additional injuries consistent with inflicted trauma, investigators stated in the affidavit.
Kelley initially denied hurting his son but soon admitted he had "played too rough" with the boy during an interview with law enforcement.
"[Kelley] struck [the victim] in the face with [the victim's] own hands, shook him forcefully by the legs, and intentionally dropped [the victim] face-first onto the hardwood floor from a height of a couple feet," the probable cause affidavit states. "[Kelley] demonstrated these actions using a doll and stated [the victim] went limp afterward."
According to investigators, Kelley allegedly confessed to shaking the boy "back and forth by his legs" for approximately one minute before hearing what he described as a "thump" sound from the baby's head hitting an object.
"[Kelley] agreed that 'it could have been a lot harder than I realized' because he was angry," police wrote in court documents. "After the incident, [Kelley] described [the victim] as being 'dead asleep.'"
While investigators questioned Kelley about his actions, Vesey provided her own account of events. She told authorities she last put her son in his crib around midnight and did not check on him again until approximately 10 a.m., when she noticed the child appeared unusually lethargic, was grunting, and had difficulty moving his right arm.
Around 1 p.m., Vesey reported attempting to force-feed the baby before he went limp and began staring off into space. She also observed a bruise on his forehead at that time.
Despite these symptoms developing for hours, Vesey did not immediately contact emergency services. Investigators noted her phone records contradicted her claim of calling the baby's pediatrician around noon—a call she said she made while waiting for a callback actually occurred several hours later.
Vesey ultimately called 911 approximately at 2:55 p.m., more than four hours after first noticing her son's alarming symptoms, according to court documents. The infant's injuries were life-threatening and required emergency neurosurgery.
Investigators also discovered a search on Vesey's phone asking why a 3-week-old baby would have bruises. She acknowledged "routinely checking" the infant for injuries during interviews with law enforcement.
Kelley is charged with abuse or neglect of a child and is being held without bond. Vesey faces a charge of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child and is being held on $100,000 bond.
Key Takeaways
- The 5-week-old victim suffered severe brain bleeding, brain swelling, retinal hemorrhages, multiple rib fractures and other life-threatening injuries
- Kelley allegedly admitted to slamming the infant face-first onto hardwood flooring from "a height of a couple feet" after becoming angry
- Investigators say he also used the baby's own hands to strike his head before describing the child as being "dead asleep"
- Vesey waited more than four hours before calling 911 despite observing her son's deteriorating condition for an extended period
What's Next
Kelley is scheduled to appear in court. Vesey is set to appear in court on Aug. 26, according to jail records.
A child protection consultation at St. Louis Children's Hospital determined the infant's injuries were consistent with inflicted trauma including "shaking and striking" as well as delayed medical care.