Man accused of killing 3-week-old boy by causing head trauma

Stephan Graves is charged with murder after investigators say he caused head trauma to a 3-week-old boy.

A man is accused of causing trauma to a 3-week-old baby, leading to the boy's death, court records show.

The child's mother said it happened Aug. 11, 2017, and that Stephan Graves is the biological father, charging documents show.

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The boy's mother said she believes it happened while she was asleep and Graves was taking care of the boy, according to an interview with police. 

Graves told investigators that the baby woke up multiple times that night, but at around 4 or 5 a.m., the baby woke up screaming. Graves said he fed him and changed his diaper twice, according to court records. He added, "It took about an hour to get the (baby) to 'calm back down' and go to sleep."

The next morning, around 11 a.m., the mother said she woke up and realized the baby was not as active and responsive as usual. She said she tried to give the baby a bath, but that still did not wake him up, so she attempted to feed him. When that did not work, she said she called 911, records show.

Investigators said the call to 911 came in just before 2 p.m. Once Graves and the child's mother arrived at Texas Children's Hospital, they were told it appeared someone had shaken the baby. 

Graves denied shaking the baby and said he has "two older children he doesn't see much and cherishes being with" the baby, records show.

Doctors told police the baby had bruising on his face and "extensive brain hemorrhaging" and his injuries were consistent with abusive head trauma, possibly caused by some type of shaking, records show.

The baby's death was ruled a homicide.

Graves has been charged with murder and is being held on a $50,000 bond.