Dentist grabs pizza while holding limp body of baby he allegedly killed
A US dentist grabbed a slice of pizza and held the lifeless body of his mistress' son after he allegedly slammed and kicked the child's head into the ground.
Oklahoma man Dr. Bert Franklin has been charged with first-degree murder over the death of 19-month-old Lincoln Van Henry Lewis, NBC 4 reported.
Franklin, who was a married father-of-four, was allegedly having an affair with Roxanne Randall, the child's mother, for about a year.
Ms Randall claimed she heard a loud "thud" and thought a ball had been thrown at the puppy inside in the home, court documents revealed.
The mother reportedly found Lincoln unresponsive in the early morning hours of July 17th at home and took him to Mercy Hospital.
The little boy was diagnosed with skull fractures and police were called when Lewis was airlifted to a Tulsa hospital.
Lewis later died.
Court documents revealed the child had hemorrhages in his eyes, severe swelling in his brain and had also suffered severe trauma to his brain.
In court, prosecutors played surveillance video from inside Randall's house from the night Lincoln was allegedly injured.
The video reportedly showed Franklin walk down the stairs of his mistress' home, with the baby in his arms.
Lincoln appeared to be fine and sat up in his arms.
Franklin took the infant into the lounge room, but because the camera was located in the kitchen, it is too difficult to see exactly what happened next.
An Oklahoma Police detective testified that the video, in the lounge room, showed Franklin slam Lincoln' head into the ground head first before he made a kicking motion.
Next, Lincoln' limp body was seen in Franklin's arms as he went to grab a slice of pizza from the kitchen.
Sobbing and tears filled the courtroom when the video was shown for the first time to family members.
Ms Randall said she only discovered her unresponsive son after she tried to wake Lewis at 2am to eat, the station reported.
She said her baby's eyes were open and his breathing was laboured.
The mother said to police that Franklin told her Lincoln was sleeping when she saw him lying on the couch with pillows around him.
Franlkin gave police inconsistent evidence on how the boy sustained his serious head injuries.
Doctors said Lincoln had a skull fracture and brain bleed that were consistent with abuse.
Franklin’s biological children have accused him of abusing them in the past and violent texts were allegedly sent to Lewis’ biological father.
Ms Randall claimed she didn't know her boyfriend was a married father.
