ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis man was charged in the death of his 3-year-old son after suffering from "non-accidental trauma and child maltreatment," police said.
Victor Pickering, 26, was charged by the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office with one count of abuse or neglect of a child resulting in death on Wednesday. He is being held on $500,000 bond.
According to the probable cause statement, police were called on May 2 to the 400 block of Thrift Avenue in Riverview where Pickering and his 3-year-old son, Levi Pickering, were.
Pickering told police that Levi fell off the back steps of the residence, an approximately two to three feet fall. Levi was rushed to a local hospital with several injuries.
The probable cause statement said Levi suffered from "serious head injuries, abdominal injuries, bruises on several parts of his body, a lacerated liver, lacerated pancreas, possible bowel injury, mesenteric bleed, retinal hemorrhaging, acute right clavicle fracture, frontal subdural hematoma and cerebral edema."
Levi died as a result of his injuries on Tuesday, May 9.
Medical professionals indicated that the injuries Levi had were not consistent with Pickering's version of the events, the statement said. The injuries were an indication of "non-accidental trauma and child maltreatment."
Witnesses told police that Levi appeared fine before being left in the care of Pickering, and the 26-year-old stated the same, police said.
The 26-year-old was on probation out of Benton County for domestic assault, the statement said.
St. Louis County Bureau of Crimes Against Persons detectives are leading this investigation.
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