Tenn. dad allegedly admitted to squeezing 3-month-old baby’s neck, pushing on his abdomen, killing him

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (TCN) — Police recently arrested an 18-year-old father on suspicion of fatally abusing his 3-month-old son.

On the evening of Sept. 11, the Knoxville Police Department responded to a report of an unresponsive 3-month-old boy at an apartment on Forestal Drive. Police said the child suffered multiple critical injuries and died at the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital several hours later.

The boy was reportedly in the care of his father, Adrien Dokes, when the injuries occurred. According to court documents reviewed by WBIR-TV, Dokes told authorities he was frustrated and squeezed his son’s neck and chin and pushed down on the boy’s abdomen. An autopsy will determine the victim’s cause of death and extent of his injuries.

Dokes faces a charge of first-degree murder in perpetuation of aggravated child abuse. He remains held in the Knox County Jail on a $1 million bond.

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