Lincoln County man in custody after boy's death

SHAWNEE, Okla. (AP) -- Lincoln County prosecutors say a man accused of abusing a 4-month-old boy will now face a murder charge because the baby has died.<br/><br/>Derrick Cooper was arrested Thursday on

Friday, July 22nd 2005, 1:54 pm

By: News On 6

SHAWNEE, Okla. (AP) -- Lincoln County prosecutors say a man accused of abusing a 4-month-old boy will now face a murder charge because the baby has died.

Derrick Cooper was arrested Thursday on a child-abuse complaint before the baby died last night at a Dallas hospital.

District Attorney Richard Smothermon says he plans to file a first-degree murder charge Monday against Cooper, who is a friend of the baby's mother.

The names of the mother and child haven't been released.

Smothermon says the child has massive internal head injuries that are consistent with shaken-baby syndrome.

Authorities began investigating after an ambulance was called Wednesday to reports of a baby choking. The child was taken first to an Oklahoma City hospital, then airlifted to Dallas where he died.