Inset: Rick P. Artis (Bexar County Adult Detention Center). Background: The area in San Antonio where Artis allegedly killed an infant (Google Maps).
A 31-year-old man in Texas is accused of killing a 9-month-old girl earlier this year, beating the infant to death and then giving police a fake name because of an outstanding warrant for his arrest in connection with another young child who was brutally killed several years ago. Rick P. Artis is facing one count of injury to a child with intent to cause serious bodily injury, court records show.
Officers with the San Antonio Police Department and emergency medical personnel responded to a call regarding an unresponsive child at an apartment complex in the 6100 block of Ingram Road at about 10:43 a.m. on Jan. 25, local ABC affiliate KSAT reported, citing a probable cause affidavit. First responders found the unresponsive baby and pronounced the child dead at the scene.
While still at the apartment, Artis spoke to a detective and allegedly identified himself as "Eric Artis." He told the detective he woke up at about 10 a.m. and went into the kitchen to prepare a bottle of formula for the baby. However, when he went to the crib, Artis said the child was no longer breathing. He then became frantic and woke up the baby's mother. Artis said the child was acting normal and was unharmed when going to sleep the previous evening, per the report.
The mother told police she had left Artis in charge of her three children the previous evening, according to local NBC and CW affiliate WOAI. When she returned home just before midnight, she said the victim was smiling and stood up in her crib, seeming "fine." The mother then took a shower and said that when she got out, the baby was asleep. She and Artis went to sleep at about 3 a.m., the report says.
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The following morning, the mother said Artis woke her up in a panic and when she went to check on the baby, she found the child "cold and stiff."
While investigators found no initial signs of abuse, an autopsy two days later revealed the baby suffered at least one significant skull fracture from blunt force trauma, not an accidental impact. Medical examiners ruled the death a homicide.
The mother and Artis returned to police headquarters on Jan. 29 to answer additional questions. Prior to the meeting, investigators reportedly discovered that Artis had initially provided police with a false name. Investigators soon discovered Rick Artis had an outstanding arrest warrant in connection with an October 2018 case in which he was also charged with injury to a child.
In that case, a 17-month-old child had similarly suffered a fractured skull. The child reportedly died as a result of the injury in 2020. Artis is accused of striking the child, causing the fatal injuries, KSAT reported. That case was reportedly dismissed due to a missing witness, then subsequently reopened several months later. Artis is facing a separate charge for injury to a child in that case as well.
When confronted about the false name and outstanding warrant, Artis reportedly refused to speak any further without an attorney present. He was subsequently arrested and booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center.
Police later learned that on Jan. 25, Artis had called and exchanged messages with a paralegal about 30 minutes before he claimed to have found the infant unresponsive. He also allegedly exchanged messages with another friend about the infant's death prior to alerting the victim's mother and calling 911.
He is currently being held on a $1 million bond, records show.
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