Malnourished, Bruised, Battered Infant Dies, Parents Arrested

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A badly malnourished and abused infant died in his home, and his parents are now in jail as a result.

According to the arrest report from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, the incident began at an apartment on 103rd Street Friday night.

Cordero Anthony Webber, 23, told police he checked on his 5-month old child, who was lying on the living room floor, then went to his bedroom to watch a movie.

Minutes later, he said, the child's mother, 22-year-old Kierra Monet Hayes Laird, brought the baby to the bedroom and said, "I don't think he's breathing."

At the hospital, the child was pronounced dead. Saturday, an autopsy on the child revealed details of his life and death.

The medical examiner determined the child died from blunt force trauma to his head.

However, the child also had bruises on his face, chest, right elbow, right ear and head, the M.E. determined, in addition to a lack of body fat and muscles that were atrophied.

The M.E. further noticed the child had several fractured ribs that were in the healing stage, and had almost no food in his stomach or bowels.

The child's death was determined to be a homicide.

Sunday, the child's parents told their side of the story.

As recounted in the arrest report, Webber told homicide investigators that the child had been seriously injured beginning in July, when he was 2-months old, and continuing until his death Friday.

Webber also said the only treatment he and Hayes Laird offered the baby was ointment to treat apparent bed bug bites.  Hayes Laird said Webber would tell her the baby was okay every time she saw him injured, and she didn't take any further action.

Webber said he believed the child to be autistic because he always looked down and to the right and couldn't hold up his head.

Webber and Hayes Laird said they fed the baby solid food, cereal, baby food and formula, and had to force feed the child milk because he would spit it out.

Hayes Laird also said the baby had not been under the care of a physician since his birth.

She added that she knew she needed to seek assistance but intentionally did not do so.

Both suspects admitted to smoking marijuana in the house with not only the baby, but also Hayes Laird's two other children.

Webber and Hayes Laird are each charged with willful child neglect causing great bodily harm.

First Coast News