NEW MADRID -- A Portageville man will be arraigned Monday for second degree murder in connection with the death of his infant son.
Kade Reaves Stringfellow, 23, is charged with abuse of a child resulting in death and second degree murder, following the death of Karson Stringfellow on July 18 at the St. Louis Children's Hospital. Stringfellow is being held in the New Madrid County Jail; no bond is set until his appearance Monday in Division 2 of New Madrid County Circuit Court before Judge Charles Spitler.
According to the probable cause statement, the Missouri Children's Division was alerted of a possible child abuse case on July 16 following calls from Missouri Delta Medical Center and St. Louis Children's Hospital.
New Madrid County Deputy Danny J. Ware's probable cause statement noted hospital staff became suspicious due to inconsistent stories from Stringfellow. Medical officials stated Stringfellow's explanations were not consistent with the injuries to the child.
Ware interviewed a next door neighbor, who said Stringfellow had called her on July 16 and stated he had slipped and fallen while holding the infant. He told the neighbor he thought the child may be injured.
When the neighbor checked on the child, she told the officer she noticed the child was upset and crying and urged Stringfellow to contact the child's mother. When she returned to the apartment several hours later she said the infant "was having 'jerky' movements with his arms and legs and appeared to be having difficulty breathing," according to the probable cause statement.
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