Kansas City man is accused in fatal abuse of 16-month-old boy

A Kansas City man has been accused of beating a 16-month-old boy who later died of his injuries.

Jackson County prosecutors charged 31-year-old Nathaniel A. Littlefield with child abuse or neglect and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

The charges were filed before the boy died early Wednesday, according to prosecutors. The case remains under investigation.

The boy was taken to a hospital late Sunday after his mother returned home from work and found him unresponsive.

According to court records, his mother told police she left the victim and his 5-month-old brother in Littlefield’s care on Sunday while she was at work.

After the injured boy arrived at a hospital, doctors determined that he had a severe head injury and a lacerated liver.

The mother later told police that she had been unable to contact Littlefield during the day Sunday. When he picked her up at work that night, he told her that he had left the boys home alone because they were asleep.

When questioned by police, Littlefield admitted to repeatedly striking the child in the face and head, but he said he did so in an attempt to revive him. He told police that no other adults were with the children that day. He also said he had left the boys alone when he drove to pick up their mother at work.

Prosecutors requested that a $100,000 bond be set for Littlefield.

This story was originally published June 1, 2016 at 2:58 PM with the headline "Kansas City man is accused in fatal abuse of 16-month-old boy."