Father allegedly admits to fatally abusing 3-month-old son
Share and Follow

Inset: Adrien Dokes (Knox County Sheriff”s Office). Background: The apartment complex where Dokes and his son lived in Knoxville, Tenn. (Google Maps).

A Tennessee man is behind bars for brutally killing his 3-month-old son, according to law enforcement in the Volunteer State.

Adrien Dokes, 18, stands accused of murder in the first degree in perpetuating aggravated child abuse, according to Knox County Sheriff’s Office records.

The defendant was arrested on Thursday evening, per a press release issued by the Knoxville Police Department.

At around 8 p.m. on Thursday, officers were called to an apartment on Forestal Drive in Knoxville in response to an “unresponsive infant,” according to the police department.

The child was then rushed to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries just after midnight on Sept. 12, police said.

Those injuries were described as “severe” in the initial press release.

“Dokes, who was detained by responding officers and later questioned by KPD Homicide Unit and Special Crimes detectives, was taken into custody and charged with first degree murder in perpetuating of child abuse,” the press release reads. “The circumstances surrounding this incident remain under investigation. The victim will undergo an autopsy at the Regional Forensic Center to further evaluate the cause of death and full extent of his injuries.”

Additional details concerning the arrest are contained in an arrest warrant for Dokes obtained by Knoxville-based NBC affiliate WBIR.

Arriving officers reportedly described visible injuries around the baby’s jaw, according to the warrant.

After being arrested, during a custodial interview, the defendant allegedly admitted to squeezing both his son’s neck and chin in frustration, according to the warrant. These actions led to the child struggling to breathe.

The defendant also allegedly admitted to pushing down hard on the child’s abdomen.

An autopsy will be performed on the infant to determine his precise cause of death and the full extent of his injuries, according to WBIR.

Dokes is currently being detained in the Knox County Jail on $1 million bond.

He is next slated to appear in court for a bond hearing on Sept. 15, records show.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

Police Report: Man Allegedly Shoots Wife Following Divorce Lawyer Meeting

Background: A portion of Lake Shores Road outside Grafton, Wisconsin (Google Maps).…

Man Allegedly Breaks into Ex’s Home and Shoots Her New Boyfriend: Police Report

Inset: Shiateek D. Wilson (Bexar County Jail). Background: The area in Converse,…

Gainesville Resident Faces Second Indecent Exposure Charge in Three Months

Staff Report GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Stacey Ramone Scott, aged 51, was taken…

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs: What His Strict Post-Prison Life Will Look Like

In a courtroom twist, Sean “Diddy” Combs was found guilty on two…

17-Year-Old Faces Adult Charges in Armed Robbery at Santa Fe Apartments: A Legal Turning Point

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In a disturbing turn of events, a young Ocala…

Why a Third Trump Term is Constitutionally Impossible: Insights from Top Legal Expert

Left inset: President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Republican governors…

Idaho Teen Allegedly Kills Woman Following Refusal for a Ride, Authorities Report

Insets, left to right: Bobby Jackson Jr. and Rebecca Rivera (Blackfoot Police…

Tragic Accident: Officer Involved in Double Pedestrian Collision Revealed

A still from dashcam footage taken by Fairfax Police moments before Trina…