Kansas City man charged with murder in death of girlfriend’s 4-month-old grandchild
A Kansas City man has been charged with murder in the death of his girlfriend’s 4-month-old grandchild, according to prosecutors.
The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday charged Matthew Beck, 40, with second-degree murder in the child’s death last week. The child’s grandmother, 38-year-old Carly George, has also been charged with hindering prosecution of a felony.
“The death of this child is an awful tragedy and horrible crime,” Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said in a statement. “The heart wrenching nature may lead us to feel despair. I hope any despair prompts us to report and protect kids from abuse.”
Baker provided a link to parenting resources provided by COMBAT-funded assistance.
Officers were called just after 6:15 a.m. March 9 to the 5400 block of Harrison Street on a report of an infant who wasn’t breathing.
Arriving officers contacted Beck, who allegedly “appeared to be agitated, pacing in and out of the front door” of the house, according to court documents.
Beck told officers that the infant had been sick and throwing up throughout the night. Beck told officers he was eventually able to calm the infant down so he laid the child on a pillow in the living room.
Beck told police he fell asleep and when he woke up three hours later the infant was a bluish color and not breathing.
Officers also spoke with George, who said the infant had been sick lately and when she had taken him to a doctor, the doctor said that was normal. George told police that Beck was her fiance.
The child was taken to a hospital, where it was discovered that he had sustained life-threatening physical trauma including a contusion to the forehead, multiple skull fractures, a brain bleed and chest trauma, according to court documents.
The infant was removed from life support the next day and died from his injuries.
George provided a brief statement to detectives at the hospital in which she allegedly said she was asleep when Beck woke her. He was hysterical and was holding the infant, she said. Beck allegedly told her that the child was dead, according to court documents.
George said she attempted CPR on the child and called 911. However, the injuries were not consistent with a natural death, according to charging documents.
Another witness told police that after the child died, she over heard George allegedly tell Beck to hide and that police were coming to the house. George allegedly left the hospital with clothing the child had been wearing, without mentioning it to detectives.
The infant’s death marked the 30th homicide in Kansas City this year. Kansas City ended last year with 182 homicides, the most in the city’s history in a single year, according to data maintained by The Star.
The Star’s Anna Spoerre contributed to this report.
This story was originally published March 18, 2021 at 5:15 PM.
