Milwaukee man accused in infant death due to 'acute drug toxicity'
Keshonn Baker
MILWAUKEE - A 24-year-old Milwaukee man is charged in the death of an infant in August. The accused is Keshonn Baker – and he is charged with neglecting a child - consequence is death.
According to the criminal complaint, Milwaukee firefighters were dispatched to a residence near Booth and Hadley on Friday, Aug. 6 to render aid to an unresponsive 1-year-old child. Baker "reported that (the child) fell off the couch earlier in the evening," the complaint says. The child had "blood coming from the nose, but no other significant visible injuries." Lifesaving measures were unsuccessful and the child was pronounced deceased on the scene.
A detective that responded to the scene conducted an interview with Baker who said that evening (the child) was watching a movie and at one point "rolled off the couch and onto the floor. (The child) immediately got up from the fall and continued to play. The defendant did not believe (the child) was injured during the fall," the complaint says.
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Baker told police a short time later, he rocked the child to sleep -- and Baker himself fell asleep. The complaint says "thirty to forty minutes later, the defendant woke up. The defendant attempted to wake up (the child), who was lying face down on the couch." But the child was unresponsive -- and that is when Baker said he called 911.
Another detective conducted a search of the residence. Within the kitchen, he "located 4 clear plastic baggies. One baggie contained a green plantlike material suspected to be marijuana. A second baggie contained an off-white chunky substance suspected to be cocaine base. The third baggie contained a greenish powdery substance that was believed to be methamphetamine. The fourth baggie contained an off-white powdery material that was suspected to be fentanyl," the complaint says."
On Aug. 7, the complaint says detectives conducted an in-custody interview with Baker. Baker "admitted that the illicit substances recovered by the City of Milwaukee Police Department in the kitchen...all belonged to the defendant." Baker said the marijuana was for his personal use -- and that he "intended to sell the remaining drugs," the complaint says.
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On Monday, Aug. 9, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy on the child. No physical injuries were observed. The complaint says the child's blood was "subjected to toxicology testing and revealed the presence of fentanyl and cocaine." The medical examiner indicated the child's cause of death was "acute drug toxicity."
Baker is due in court for his initial appearance on Thursday, Oct. 14.
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