Jackson County authorities have accused a 30-year-old woman of second-degree murder, child abuse and first-degree child endangerment in the death of a 3-month-old infant whom she baby-sat during an overnight visit.
Prosecutors charged Sonya Nerissa Perry of Grandview on Monday in the death of Stephon McCoy, who was taken off life support by his parents on Jan. 17. A physician at Children’s Mercy Hospital told police that Stephon suffered multiple injuries consistent with being shaken, according to court records.
Perry was arrested Tuesday evening and arraigned Wednesday. Bond was set at $200,000.
According to court records, Grandview officers were called to a residence in the 6200 block of 126th Street on Jan. 14. They found the infant lying on a living room chair. An officer began chest compressions as paramedics arrived to assist. The baby was taken to St. Joseph Medical Center and later transferred to Children’s Mercy Hospital.
Stephon suffered numerous injuries, including a subdural hematoma, extensive brain damage, retinal hemorrhages in both eyes and bleeding within the skull, court records said. He also had bruising to his inner thigh, left cheek and right temple.
Perry told investigators that Stephon was her boyfriend’s nephew and she had agreed to keep him for an overnight visit. She said Stephon was not acting right and was more fussy than normal from the time she picked him up.
She said Stephon awoke at 11 a.m. on Jan. 14 again acting fussy. He cried throughout the day and would not eat. Perry told investigators that Stephon also shook violently, according to court records.
However, Perry’s boyfriend told investigators that Stephon was smiling and acting happy all day after they picked him up. The boyfriend also said Perry told him later that Stephon wasn’t feeling well and had a 102-degree temperature, according to court records.
Several relatives, including the boy’s father and grandmother, told investigators there was nothing wrong with Stephon before his visit with Perry and her boyfriend.
Perry later admitted to investigators that she had put Stephon down hard on the sofa. Perry also said she had lightly shaken the infant, court records said.
To reach Glenn E. Rice, call 816-234-4341 or send email to grice@kcstar.com
