GERMANTOWN, TN - For John Martin, the sight of paramedics removing the little boy's lifeless boy from his neighbor's unit at the Fountain Square Condominiums in Germantown, was almost too much to take.
"The mother dressed him up so nice," says Martin. "You see someone taking such good care...and then see him go out on a gurney. It's just...(sobs)...I'm sorry."
Deputy Chief Rodney Bright with the Germantown Police Department says the toddler was unresponsive when officers arrived at the complex around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 14, 2009.
"I can only say that the child's father was the one who placed the 9-1-1 call," says Bright. "He indicated there was a child that was not breathing."
The 16-month-old boy was rushed to Methodist LeBonheur Germantown and pronounced dead a short time later in the emergency room.
The Shelby County Medical Examiner says the boy died from blunt force trauma to the abdomen which caused internal bleeding and massive damage to his internal organs.
Germantown Police charged the boy's father, 27-year-old Curtis Lee Morris, Jr. with second degree murder. Investigators say Morris intentionally struck his son in the stomach, but wouldn't say how or why the abuse happened.
"We do know there was a sibling there at the time," says Deputy Chief Bright. "But whether somebody else was there, that's an answer we're still looking for."
What neighbors like John Martin are looking for, is some justice. Parents, says Martin, are supposed to protect, not kill, their children.
"In the court, he should be given life," Martin says. "I wish it could be life with hard labor. That was such a nice kid."
Morris is being held on a $300,000 bond at the Germantown Police station. If he doesn't post bail within 72 hours, he'll be transferred to the Shelby County Jail at 201 Poplar.
The little boy's 3-year-old sister, according to police, is with her grandparents. There is no information available about the children's mother.
The Child Advocacy Center plans to raise a flag in the little boy's honor on Thursday, November 19th at 10:00 a.m. This is the 9th Shelby County child killed by abuse or neglect this year.
