Murder Charge In Toddler Abuse Case

by Associated Press
March 15, 2013 11:47 AM


Authorities have filed a second-degree murder charge against a South Dakota man arrested for abusing a toddler who later died.
 
Twenty-five-year-old Jay Barse, of Watertown, was arrested Wednesday on an aggravated battery charge after police responded to a report of an unconscious child at his home.
 
Authorities did not identify the child, who is younger than 3 years old. They say the child was taken to a Watertown hospital Wednesday and then airlifted to a Sioux Falls hospital, where the toddler died from head trauma.

The new charge was filed Friday. It was not immediately clear if Barse had obtained a lawyer. He's being held on $50,000 bond and is not expected to make a court appearance until next week.