Kenneth George Ryan, 20, of Catonsville, was supposed to be watching his 2-week-old son while the boy?s mother and grandmother slept.
But Baltimore County police say Ryan, who lives in a Catonsville homeless shelter on Wade Avenue, wasn?t watching his child ? he was getting high and beating him to death.
Police said Thursday they arrested and charged Ryan with first-degree murder in the death of his 15-day-old son, Julian David Woody, while at the baby?s home in Dundalk.
Police say the newborn had a black eye and a disfigured head.
Officers responded to a call at 8:16 p.m. Monday at Julian?s Dundalk home, where they found the child unresponsive.
Medics immediately transported him to Bayview Medical Center, where he was ultimately airlifted to D.C. Children?s Hospital.
Julian died at 1:45 p.m. Tuesday.
An autopsy performed by the Washington Medical Examiner’s Office Wednesday revealed Julian died of blunt-force trauma to the head.
Police said that in interviews Ryan admitted he was the only one with Julian at the time the injuries were sustained.
He could not recall how he caused the injuries because he had taken a large huff from a can of “Dust-Off” computer cleaner, causing him to black out temporarily just before he allegedly injured his son.
Ryan was arrested Wednesday at 7 p.m. He has been denied bail and is awaiting trial at the Baltimore County Detention Center.
Residents who live on Wade Avenue near the homeless shelter said they didn?t know Ryan, but were disturbed by the child?sdeath.
“It?s disconcerting,” Karen Higby said.
Neighbor Bettina Tebo said the crime underscores the reason why neighbors don?t want a secluded nature trail built by the shelter and nearby Spring Grove Hospital for psychiatric patients.
“When our kids go anywhere, they don?t go anywhere by themselves,” he said. “You shouldn?t have a secluded trail next to a mental institution and a homeless shelter.”
