Norman Police Arrests Man In Connection To Child's Death

A man is behind bars and stands accused of killing a 17-month-old child. Investigators said the suspect was babysitting.

Just after 1 p.m. last Saturday, Norman police received a call that there was an unresponsive child at an apartment complex near Chautauqua Avenue.

“The medical team began life saving measures immediately,” Norman Police Department public information officer Sarah Jensen said. “They were able to resuscitate the baby and transport it to OU Children’s Hospital where he could receive further care.”

Investigators said the 17-month-old boy had a spleen and liver laceration, collapsed lung, bite marks and a rib fracture.

“These cases are extremely difficult and disturbing for the responding officers, the investigators, the medical team and staff that have to investigate these,” Jensen said.

Court documents said 21-year-old Demontre Rose confessed that “he placed sock in the toddler’s mouth and laid on top of him until he noticed he was unresponsive.”

Investigators said the toddler was visiting his aunt and Rose were watching him on the day of the incident.

“As far as the specifics into that relationship, that is a lot of what is going on in the ongoing investigation but, as you can imagine, the parents are devastated by what has occurred,” Jensen said.

After several days at OU Children’s Hospital, the toddler died Wednesday.

“It is devastating to have to tell their parents that their child is no longer going to be here,” Jensen said.

Rose was originally booked into jail for a count of first-degree child abuse. Cleveland County prosecutors have since upgraded it into a first-degree murder complaint.

News 9 reached out to the parents who are very upset. Understandably, they did not want to go on camera.