Poplar Bluff man charged in infant son’s death due in court
POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. (KBSI) – A Butler County man facing a second degree murder charge after the death of his infant son is due in court for and initial appearance on June 22.
Dustin E. Mason was arrested and taken to Butler County Sheriff’s Office.
On October 28, 2022 deputies were called to 549 Mustang Lane in Butler County for a report that an infant who had turned blue and was unresponsive.
Butler County EMS crews arrived and performed life saving measures before taking him to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center where staff continued to perform life saving measures.
The decision to send him to St. Louis Children’s Hospital was made due to him being unconscious for 30 minutes.
Mason reported that he was home alone with the infant and his two other children when he put the baby in his infant swing and propped his bottle with a blanket while he ran to use the bathroom.
While in the restroom he heard choking and ran to the infant who was choking on formula. He says he tried to get him to stop choking but the infant started turning blue.
On November 3 an autopsy was conducted, and Pathologist Russel Deidiker says it was his opinion that the infant died from closed head injuries that occurred over a period of time, ruling the death a homicide.
