LaGrange man charged in child's death
By Gary Popp
Published in News on November 25, 2010 12:07 AM
Keefe Decarlos McPhail, 37, of LaGrange, has been charged with the murder of a 21-month-old.
The charge is the latest action in a nearly month-long investigation.
The child, Kamari Bryant, was taken to the Wayne Memorial Hospital emergency room Oct. 25 by his mother, Donnisha Bryant.
The child was non-responsive and was later pronounced dead. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office was called to the hospital to investigate the circumstances surrounding the child's death.
At the time of the child's death, McPhail was Ms. Bryant's boyfriend, sheriff's office investigators said.
A preliminary autopsy was done at Greenville Medical Examiners Office, which showed that the child died of a trauma to his body, according to reports.
McPhail was taken into custody Tuesday around 11 p.m. in LaGrange by the Lenoir County Sheriff's Office then handed over to Wayne County officials.
Detective Ron Baker of the Wayne County Sheriff's Office was able to establish probable cause to charge McPhail with one count of murder, sheriff's office officials said.
McPhail is being held in the Wayne County Detention Center with no bond.
Sheriff Carey Winders called the case "tragic."
"No matter what the outcome of the investigation, this is still a terrible tragedy. It is not only emotional and stressful to the family members, but it was also stressful and emotional to the detectives working this type of case. I appreciate everyone, officers and citizens, who assisted in this investigation."