New Castle Dad Charged In Infant’s Death To Stand Trial

(Photo Credit: KDKA)

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NEW CASTLE (KDKA) — A Lawrence County man charged in connection with the death of his 6-week-old son has now been ordered to stand trial.

The baby’s mother was also in the courtroom on Thursday as prosecutors made their case.

Terrance Murphy Jr.’s time on this earth was woefully short. Born last Oct. 18, he died on Nov. 30. That’s less than six weeks of life.

His mother, 21-year-old Tywrenna Stockton, wears a t-shirt printed with pictures of her baby. The father, 21-year-old Terrance Murphy Sr., will stand trial for his son’s death.

“He just said, ‘Auntie, I don’t know. Milk started coming out…’” said Curlene Whittier, Murphy’s aunt.

Murphy was alone with the baby at the Castle Arms Apartments in New Castle. Initially, he reportedly told police that he’d stepped out for a cigarette, leaving the infant with a bottle of formula propped up on the bed.

Returning, he said he found the baby vomiting milk. Murphy called the baby’s mother and his aunt who is a nurse.

“When I picked him up, his head went like that,” said Whittier. “I grabbed my phone; I called 911 and I started CPR on the baby.”

The baby was not breathing by the time emergency responders got there. Autopsy results showed the boy died of blunt force trauma with two large skull fractures.

“When I saw that baby, he was not disfigured, there was no swelling, there was no bruising,” Whittier added.

When detectives went to talk to the parents again, they discovered Murphy hiding in a bedroom closet. Investigators say he admitted that he may have struck his son’s head accidentally against a doorframe.

Stockton: “I don’t think he did it at all.”

KDKA’s Mary Robb Jackson: “Well, how did the baby’s head get hurt?”

Stockton: “I don’t know. That’s what I want to know, too. But I believe, my heart tells me that he wouldn’t do nothing like this.”