Father Being Held in Death of 10-Week-Old Son

A Gwinnett County man has been charged with child cruelty -- and may face additional charges -- in the apparent head-trauma death of his 10-week-old son.

Gwinnett Police said Kelvin Odom was arrested and charged after it was discovered the child suffered a fractured skull and closed head trauma when he was taken to the hospital in critical condition last week.

The child died four days later.

Gwinnett Police Cpl. Deon Washington said in a Wednesday news release that the boy was pronounced dead around 1 p.m. Sunday Sept. 6 at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. He had been admitted to the hospital on Sept. 2.

“At this point in the investigation, detectives are awaiting the manner and cause of death ruling from the Gwinnett County Medical Examiner,” Washington said in the news release. “The ruling will determine if additional charges will be filed against Kelvin Odom. DFACS is also actively involved in the investigation.”

Odom, of Lawrenceville, is being held without bond at the Gwinnett County jail.

Washington said public safety personnel first responded around 4:30 a.m. on Sept. 2 to a 911 call from an apartment complex on Water Vistas Parkway in unincorporated Lawrenceville. The 10-week-old reportedly was having difficulty breathing.

When first responders arrived, the child had “resumed breathing, was crying and appeared normal,” Washington said in the news release. After paramedics checked the child, they offered to take him to the hospital, but Odom declined and the baby was left with him, Washington said.

Police said Odom was the only adult at the residence, where five children ages 10 weeks to 14 years also apparently live. Odom’s wife was at work at the time.

“At approximately 7:41a.m., the child’s mother returned home from work and noticed that the child had a medical problem,” Washington said. “The child displayed breathing problems and altered color.”

Odom and the mother began driving the baby to the hospital, but stopped along the way to call 911. Paramedics answered and took the child to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, where the injuries were discovered.

Odom has been initially charged with first-degree cruelty to children. He was booked into the county jail around 3 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, according to jail records.

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Photo: Kelvin Odom. Gwinnett County Jail mug shot.