A Parkville man has been charged with child endangerment leading to the death of an infant in Platte County.
Adrian Horton, 21, was charged last month with one count of endangering the welfare of a child. This is in addition to second degree rape charges filed against Horton earlier this year.
Horton
An infant was admitted to Children’s Mercy Hospital in late October 2024 with a brain bleed, multiple broken ribs and possible internal decapitation. The child died in early November.
According to statements made by the child’s mother in court documents, the baby was fine until she asked the suspect to change its diaper while she used the restroom. She heard Horton speaking to the baby, asking it why it always cried, then heard a door slam and a loud patting noise. As she left the bathroom, Horton called her in a panic and when she arrived the baby was gasping for air. They called 911 and the baby was transported to Children’s Mercy for evaluation.
In court documents, Horton claims he was trying to remove the baby’s onesie when it caught on his head, forcing it to jerk backward. The baby also spit up, and Horton said he picked the baby up to pat its back, but when he didn’t get the desired result he patted harder until the child spit up again and seemed to gasp for air. Horton said he then called the mother to come into the room.
“It should be noted, over the course of several hours, Adrian’s account of what occurred changed several times,” police wrote in the report. Once he claimed the baby was choking and he attempted to rub its sternum, then attempted CPR, admitting “I might have used a little more force than I should have.”
Medical records obtained from Children’s Mercy characterize the baby’s injuries as indicative of abuse, including head trauma. The report stated the “volume and distribution of rib fractures is particularly concerning for inflicted injury,” adding that CPR would not cause such injuries.
Horton remains in custody on a $150,000 bond for the rape charge, and no bond for the infant’s death.