Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
WEST VALLEY CITY — A baby boy died Saturday from injuries police believe were inflicted by his father.
Police were called to an apartment at 4002 S. 1535 West on Friday after 5-and-a-half-month-old Deyvion Johnson was found to not be breathing. The boy's father, Shawn Malik Johnson, 23, told police he had taken his son for a walk and the child became unresponsive upon their return, according to West Valley City police.
Deyvion was taken to a hospital where it was discovered he had multiple severe head injuries, including bruising, brain hemorrhaging and a fractured skull, according to a probable cause statement filed in Salt Lake City's 3rd District Court.
Court documents indicate Johnson allegedly told police he had thrown a metal bottle at the baby's head, punched the baby in the back of the head, and had also dropped the baby about 15 feet from a swing set onto concrete curbing.
Police report that Johnson initially said his autistic brother had been the one to injure the boy, but "later admitted to lying and blaming his brother because he didn't want to go to jail," the affidavit states.
Police reported the baby was taken off life support and pronounced dead on Saturday.
Johnson was booked into jail on suspicion of child abuse homicide, a first-degree felony, and obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony.
A search of Utah court records shows that Johnson has not previously been charged with any offense in the state.
