Sikeston man arrested, charged with child abuse after infant injury

Southeast Missourian

SIKESTON, Mo. -- An 18-year-old Sikeston man was arrested and charged with child abuse in connection with serious injury to an 8-month-old child, according to Sikeston Department of Public Safety.

Kevin C. Dixon, 18, faces one count each of child abuse and first-degree assault and is currently held in the Scott County Jail on a $100,000 cash only bond.

The charges stem from a call Sikeston officers received on March 24 in reference to an infant who had stopped breathing.

Officers responded to a Sikeston residence to find the child had a faint pulse, but was not breathing, and he was transported to Missouri Delta Medical Center and later tranferred to St. Louis.

Sikeston's Criminal Investigations Unit immediately launched an investigation to determine the cause of the child's ill health.

Hospital staff found the child had suffered injuries consistent with severe blunt force trauma, and investigators learned that Dixon had been caring for the infant at the time.

Dixon agreed to speak with Sikeston police on Monday and was arrested at the conclusion of the interview, acording to Sikeston police.

The infant remains at a St. Louis hospital, in critical condition and on life support, according to police.