INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A 22-year-old was charged in connection with the death of a 2-year-old found with fractured ribs, neck bruises and swelling to the brain, deputies said.
Investigators said Deshawn Marlo Clark attempted to hide the death by saying the child drowned in a bathtub. However, autopsy results revealed otherwise, deputies said.
“The injuries on and around the victim’s neck were consistent with her being intentionally choked,” Indian River County sheriff’s officials said in a statement. “The death was classified as a homicide as a result of multiple injuries, trauma to the torso, and asphyxiation.”
Deshawn Marlo Clark
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Deputies arrested Clark, of the 6900 block of 30th Square, Vero Beach, on a charge of second-degree murder. Clark was held Wednesday at the Indian River County Jail without bond.
The 911 call initially came in reporting a baby girl who drowned in the bathtub, but further investigation revealed something far more sinister. Indian River County deputies and fire rescue responded to reports of a drowning at 8:14 a.m. Monday at Clark’s residence at the Vero Green Apartment community.
Dispatchers provided CPR instructions to Clark before first responders arrived. Deputies said Clark was the live-in boyfriend of the girl’s mother, who was at work during the incident.
Firefighters held the baby girl in their arms as they tried to revive her, reports show.
The child was taken to Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, deputies said. Clark’s story began to fall apart as he told deputies what happened, officials said.
Clark told deputies he found the girl unconscious in the bathtub, which was about halfway filled with water, a sheriff’s report showed.
But emergency medical services said the child was dry and wearing a dry diaper, deputies said.
Autopsy results showed the girl had cuts to the left side of her head, bruising on her chest, marks on her back legs, and bruising on her left hip, under her left eye and on her neck, officials said. The girl had hemorrhaging on her hyoid bone – located in the neck – along with blood in her abdomen, a cut to her liver, fractured ribs close to her spine and brain swelling, deputies said.
“The autopsy further revealed the injuries were consistent with blunt force trauma and not someone attempting CPR,” sheriff’s officials said.
After the autopsy, Clark changed his statement several times to deputies. Clark admitted to lying about what happened, but denied knowing about the girl’s injuries.
Deputies arrested Clark and took him to the county jail. Clark has an arraignment at 8:45 a.m. Oct. 1, court records show.
