Left to right: Kenai Kelley and Starr Vesey (Greene County Jail).
A 19-year-old Missouri father allegedly shook his 5-week-old son by the legs, slammed him face-first onto a hardwood floor and then used the boy's own hands to strike him in the head, leaving the newborn with severe brain bleeding, brain swelling, retinal hemorrhages and multiple broken ribs, according to court records.
Kenai Logun Kelley is charged with abuse or neglect of a child, while the baby's mother, 19-year-old Starr Mariah Vesey, is charged with first-degree endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly ignoring clear signs of abuse and waiting hours before seeking help for her injured baby.
According to court documents, authorities responded to the couple's home in the 1400 block of E. 24th Street on July 28 regarding an injured infant who was described as "lethargic and making grunting noises."
First responders found the boy "cold and unresponsive" in the home and observed injuries consistent with abusive head trauma.
Emergency medical personnel transported the boy to Cox South Hospital for treatment, but due to his condition he was later airlifted to St. Louis Children's Hospital. There, doctors found severe brain bleeding, significant brain swelling, retinal hemorrhages, multiple rib fractures and other injuries consistent with inflicted trauma.
Kelley initially denied hurting his son, but soon admitted he had "played too rough" with the boy.
"[Kelley] struck [the victim] in the face with [the victim's] own hands, shook him forcefully by the legs, and intentionally dropped [the victim] face-first onto the hardwood floor from a height of a couple feet," a probable cause affidavit states. "[Kelley] demonstrated these actions using a doll and stated [the victim] went limp afterward. [Kelley] admitted he was angry at the time and agreed he was the only person who had care, custody, and control of [the victim] when the injuries occurred."
Kelley allegedly confessed to shaking the boy "back and forth by his legs" for about a minute, only stopping after "hearing a 'thump' sound" from the baby's "head hitting something."
When investigators asked how the bruise on the baby's face could have occurred, Kelley allegedly answered: "I dropped him on his face."
Kelley also described picking up the infant from the floor, sitting him on his knees and using the baby's own hands to strike the side of his head multiple times.
"[Kelley] agreed that 'it could have been a lot harder than I realized' because he was angry," police wrote. "After the incident, [Kelley] described [the victim] as being 'dead asleep.'"
Kelley acknowledged seeing abnormal bruising on the infant that morning but did not call 911. Instead, he went back to sleep.
While Kelley described what happened to the baby, Vesey told investigators that she had last put her son in his crib around midnight and did not check on him again until about 10 a.m. She described him as being unusually lethargic, grunting, and having difficulty moving his right arm.
Around 1 p.m., Vesey said, she attempted to force-feed the baby, but he went limp and began staring off into space. She also noticed a bruise on his forehead.
Vesey did not immediately call 911. She reportedly claimed that she called the baby's pediatrician around noon and waited for a callback. However, investigators said her phone showed that she actually called the doctor several hours later.
Vesey ultimately called 911 about 2:55 p.m., more than four hours after first noticing her son's symptoms.
The baby's injuries were life-threatening and required emergency neurosurgery. A child protection consultation at St. Louis Children's Hospital determined his injuries were consistent with inflicted trauma, including "shaking and striking," as well as delayed medical care.
Investigators also found a search on Vesey's phone asking why her 3-week-old baby would have bruises. Vesey told investigators she "routinely checked" the infant for injuries, per the affidavit. Kelley said he believed she did that "because of his anger issues."
Kelley is being held without bond and is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday. Vesey is being held on $100,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 26, records show.