Prince George’s County father charged with murder in the death of his infant son

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. (7News) — A father has been charged with the death of his four-month-old son in Prince George’s County.

Khalil Brooks-Clarke, 24, faces charges of first- and second-degree murder, as well as first- and second-degree child abuse, following the death of his son, Kairo Brooks, in Suitland.

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The Prince George’s County Police Department responded to a distress call at an apartment in the 5400 block of Morris Ave. at approximately 12:40 a.m. on Saturday. Here, police officers found an unresponsive infant. Despite efforts to save him, Kairo was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to a hospital. An autopsy later revealed that the cause of death was blunt force trauma.

The court documents state that Brooks-Clarke was the sole caregiver for the 4-month-old because the child’s mother had been in jail for 3 weeks.

The documents say, “detectives spoke with the decedent’s mother. She stated the defendant did not like it when the baby cried and fussed and would often become frustrated. The defendant in his frustration would record videos on his phone of him shaking the decedent when he would not stop crying.”

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Tragically, in many cases like this, there is never an opportunity for intervention by police or other services before it is too late. Infants and children, like Kairo, are among the most vulnerable members of our community and rely entirely on others for their safety and care. Victims of domestic violence, regardless of age, are often unable to speak for themselves. If you suspect domestic violence involving anyone, please call 911immediately, or contact Crime Solvers anonymously at 1-866-411-TIPS. Support is also available through Child Protective Services at 301-909-2450 and the Family Justice Center at 301-780-8008. When victims cannot speak, we must speak for them,” said Chief George Nader of the Prince George’s County Police.

Following consultations with the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, Brooks-Clarke was charged and is currently held by the Department of Corrections pending a bond review hearing.