Prosecutor: Thurston County man shook baby to death

OLYMPIA -- A 20-year-old man is in jail after allegedly shaking his 1-month-old child to death last year.

Darrin Simpson was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of homicide. He is being held in Thurston County Jail.

According to court documents, Thurston County sheriff's deputies were called Jan. 4, 2016 to St. Peter's Hospital in Olympia with reports of possible child abuse.

Doctors told deputies the child was brought into the hospital with a skull fracture, intracranial bleeding and hypothermia.

The child's parents told doctors Simpson was giving the boy a bath when the child suddenly became cold and pale. Simpson told doctors he wrapped the child in a blanket and called 911 after he became unresponsive.

Detectives interviewed the child's parents. Simpson denied any abuse against the child, documents show, but had no explanation for the child's injuries. During a second interview, Simpson allegedly told detectives the child may have hit his head on a changing table.

Detectives later interviewed Simpson again at his house, where he allegedly admitted he may have been "overly rough" while he was dancing with the child, documents show.

An autopsy performed on the child after its death on Jan. 6, 2016 show the child's injuries were consistent with "Shaken Baby Syndrome," documents show.

Simpson was arrested following the full investigation, and charged with homicide by abuse in Thurston County Superior Court.