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WEST JORDAN — Shortly after West Jordan police began investigating the death of a 1-year-old boy as suspicious, five other children were removed from the house and placed into protective custody, according to police.
On April 11, police were called to a house where Elliot Evans Keddington allegedly fell down the stairs and was unresponsive. Doctors at Primary Children's Hospital, however, discovered a broken leg, rib fractures and other bruises and "do not believe a fall down the stairs would result in a broken femur, head trauma then leading to no breathing and no heartbeat," investigators wrote in a search warrant affidavit filed in 3rd District Court.
According to another recently unsealed warrant, West Jordan fire crews noted that the boy's body temperature was 93.4 degrees when they arrived and 92 degrees when he was taken to the hospital.
"The body temperature is not typical for a child that age and could be an indicator that there was a delay between the possible fall and the notification of medical and law enforcement," the warrant states.
As of Monday, no one had been arrested and no charges issued.
West Jordan police detectives who attended the boy's autopsy "observed multiple bruising on (Elliot) that appeared more extensive than would be consistent with a fall down the stairs. These bruises include one on his left calf and hamstring area, this bruise appears to have happened when (Elliot's) leg was bent and covered most of the leg. There was also another large bruise on his right calf area. The autopsy also showed that (Elliot) had several subdural hematomas and detached retinas of both eyes. An injury was found on the back of (Elliot's) head that would correspond to one of the subdural hematomas," the warrant states.
West Jordan police were later notified by the Division of Child and Family Services that "they removed the other children from the home after this incident. It is reported by DCFS that those children also had unexplained bruising and injuries," according to the warrant.
Police say five children, ranging from ages 6 months to 4 years old, were removed from the home.
Elliot's parents told investigators they "heard what sounded like someone falling down the stairs, according to the affidavit. Both said they heard the fall but did not hear Elliot scream or cry. Both said Elliot was found at the bottom of the stairs unresponsive," it states.
Police noted that "the stairs were constructed of wood and had carpet pad and carpet on the stairs. The base of the stairs in the basement was finished with carpet pad and typical carpet, all upon a concrete floor," the warrant states.
