Matthew Graves reportedly told police that he “blacked out from rage” when a newborn baby in his care would not stop crying, and he punched the infant in the head multiple times until the baby died.
The 22-year-old Utah man was arrested this week after police were called to a home in Roy for a report of a 1-month-old baby who had stopped breathing, Fox 13 Now reported. The baby was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors found the infant had suffered severe head trauma. The infant was then flown to Ogden Regional Hospital, the report noted, where doctors discovered the vast extent of the trauma.
Doctors said the infant suffered fractures on the right side of the head, with the skull reportedly shattered and multiple pieces of the bone spreading, the report added. The baby, who was not identified by name, was declared brain dead and later died at the hospital.
Shortly after the infant’s death, authorities discovered the extent of the abuse allegedly suffered at the hands of Matthew Graves. The infant’s 5-year-old brother told police that he witnessed Graves spank the 1-month-old baby on a number of occasions, and Graves admitted to police that he took drugs inside the house.
Matthew Graves allegedly admitted to police that he beat the infant to death when the baby would not stop crying, saying he flew into a blind rage and lost track of how many times he punched the baby.
“[Graves] was interviewed at the hospital and admitted that he had gotten angry because the infant was crying and punched him repeatedly in the head,” police wrote in a probable cause statement, as relayed by KUTV . “[Graves] stated that he could not remember how many times he hit the infant as he blacked out from rage. [Graves] made comments that he is a monster, that he has lost all hope in life and is going to lose everything.”
Police did not note the relationship between Graves and the newborn baby.
The 22-year-old man reportedly has a history of trouble with the law, KUTV reported. In 2016, he was convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm and was on probation at the time of the newborn baby’s death.
The story of Graves’ arrest made headlines around the country this week, with many sharing angry messages on social media and some questioning why the 1-month-old was allowed to stay in the home. The story also came amid a series of other viral stories of child abuse, including a baby cut from the womb of her murdered mother.
DNA tests confirm newborn baby is child of murdered Fargo woman, boyfriend says https://t.co/bw0H9NcY91 pic.twitter.com/ougTmS9VRW
— True Crime Daily (@CrimeWatchDaily) September 13, 2017
Dad shares first picture of his baby daughter who survived being cut from her ‘murdered mother’s womb’ https://t.co/SGoxa0Wcpb pic.twitter.com/VDEvrkqWXV
— The Sun (@TheSun) September 9, 2017
Matthew Graves is charged with aggravated murder, child endangerment, and drug paraphernalia possession related to the newborn baby’s beating death. He is being held without bail at the Weber County Jail.
[Featured Image by Weber County Sheriff’s Department]
