Montgomery County Father Charged In Death Of 8-Week-Old Son

NORRISTOWN — A 24-year-old Trappe father was charged Wednesday with third-degree murder in the March 3 smothering death of his infant son.

David Moyer of the 300 block of West Main Street is accused of forcibly putting the 6-week-old baby, identified as V.M., face first on a bed after the infant reportedly vomited on him.

The father then left the baby unattended for 20 minutes, police said.

When he returned the infant was not breathing, according to police.

The baby died as a result of multiple blunt impact injuries and the death was ruled a homicide, according to medical authorities.

Moyer was taken to Montgomery County Correctional Facility in lieu of $1 million bail after being arraigned before District Judge Cathleen Kelly-Rebar in Collegeville on charges of third-degree murder, recklessly endangering the welfare of a child and related charges.

Third-degree murder carries a penalty of 20 to 40 year in state prison. A preliminary hearing is scheduled later this month.

Police report

According to state police and county detectives:

On Feb. 22, at 11 a.m. the 6-week -old baby was driven in an Uber to Phoenixville Hospital by Moyer and his wife, Leilani Blackwell.

Hospital medical staff determine the infant was not breathing and performed life-saving measures.

The baby was then flown to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where medical officials determined that baby suffered bleeding of the brain and retina of the left eye and numerous other injuries.

The baby was pronounced dead on March 3.

The following day, an autopsy was performed by Dr. Julia De La Garza, a forensic pathologist, in the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's office, who ruled the manner of death was homicide.

The baby's mother told police on previous occasions Moyer was screaming in the baby's face while holding him.

On Feb. 25., Moyer told police that the baby was fussy that day and he was trying different things to calm the child.

He said he put the child on a mattress and went to make a bottle for 10 to 20 minutes.

During a subsequent interview with police on Tuesday, March 15, Moyer said he placed the child down "fast and hard" and that it was "not gentle."

Moyer said it took him some time to realize what he had done because "it all happened too fast and too quick."