A 20-year-old North Carolina man is facing a first-degree murder charge after fatally abusing his three-month-old son.
According to WGHP, the incident occurred at the home of the accused, Brandon Scott McDaniel, while he was looking after his son, Sloan McDaniel. Facing life-threatening injuries in the aftermath of the incident, McDaniel rushed Sloan to the hospital for treatment on January 13. Medics, however, discovered the baby had been abused after examining the extent of his injuries and its severity.
McDaniel was subsequently arrested and initially charged with felony child abuse. After Sloan succumbed to injuries and passed away on Thursday, he received an additional first-degree murder charge. Baby Sloan was almost three months old.
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Currently being held without bond at the Forsyth County Jail, McDaniel’s next court dates are scheduled for January 30 and February 6, where he will face child abuse and murder charges respectively, the Winston-Salem Journal reports.
In an interview with the news platform, Sloan’s godmother, Debbie McCaffrey, shared fond memories of him.
“I would like for (people) to know we are grateful for every day that we got to spend with (Sloan),” she said. “He was a true blessing and a beautiful and happy baby boy,” she continued, adding that the baby loved laughing, giggling, kicking his legs and rolling over.
Sloan’s other godmother, Daniela Smith, also paid tribute to him.
“When Sloan came into our lives he really showed us how to mature, how to love someone else more than yourself. And really you could just step back from the situation and realize that wow, I am a part of his life,” she told WGHP.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help raise funds to cover his funeral expenses.
“The impact that his three months of life had on me and his mom and those who loved and cared for him was profound and we cherished every day that we got to spend with him,” McCaffrey told the Winston-Salem Journal.
