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A 17-month-old Indiana boy had his heart “ripped in half” after he was allegedly beaten to death by his mother’s boyfriend, according to authorities and local reports.
Shaquille Rowe, 27, has been charged in the death of Aiden Mishawn Clark. The child died May 17 while allegedly in Rowe’s care, according to court documents obtained by WPTA 21.
UPDATE: Police say they have arrested 27-year-old Shaquille Rowe in the beating death of a baby on Monday. https://t.co/w9WryhcZW9 pic.twitter.com/JNrOzSxRow
— Fort Wayne’s NBC (@FortWaynesNBC) May 19, 2021
The “Affidavit for Probable Cause” says Fort Wayne Police Department received a call from Rowe on Monday about a child who was not breathing. Rowe allegedly told dispatch he had been in the shower and heard the child crying, prompting him to check on the child. Rowe then allegedly told dispatch he tried to give the child CPR as he was not breathing.
“Why did she leave me in the house like this,” Rowe allegedly told the dispatcher, referring to his girlfriend, Jasmine Clark, according to the documents. (RELATED: Man Tries To Kill Wife With Butcher Knives At Son’s Football Game)
Responding Officer Tyler Karns quickly took over CPR before the child was transported to a local hospital. Emergency personnel noted the child had bruises on his neck and chest and said it could be related to abuse, according to the documents. The child was pronounced dead after arriving at the hospital.
An autopsy later found Clark “died from blunt force trauma to his chest” and his death was ruled a homicide, according to court documents. The autopsy also found Clark’s “heart was ripped in half and his pericardium sac was torn and that there was massive amount of hemorrhaging.”
Clark also had “suffered blunt force trauma to his left midsection and had a lacerated spleen and hemorrhaging around the left kidney and pancreas.”
The autopsy concluded the child “likely died in 2-5 minutes after suffering his injuries.”
Rowe has been charged with murder, aggravated battery, battery to a minor causing death and neglect of a dependent resulting in death, according to WANE.
The case is being investigated by the Fort Wayne Police Department, the Allen County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and the Allen County Coroner’s Office.