The parents of a 2-year-old Pike County boy who died Monday are behind bars after an autopsy determined the death was the result of a homicide, authorities said.
The child’s father, Demeatrice J. Ashley, 22, 1058 Highway 98 East, has been charged with first-degree murder. His mother, Kiara Scott, 22, has been charged with two counts of felony child abuse, Sheriff James Brumfield said.
Ashley was initially charged with felony child abuse but sheriff’s officials upgraded those charges on Wednesday after the autopsy report was released.
Bond hearings are pending for both, Brumfield said.
Pike County Coroner Wally Jones said the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the abdomen.
Jones and Brumfield said the autopsy ruled out any suspicions of sexual abuse.
At 9:11 a.m. Monday a family member called 911, and an AAA ambulance arrived at the family’s house just east of Old Industrial Road. The child was in the ambulance when deputies arrived, Brumfield said.
Brently was taken to the hospital, where Jones pronounced him dead.
“It’s a sad situation with the death of this 2-year-old,” Brumfield said.
