A 4-month-old boy in Newport News, Virginia, was fatally injured by his father, Aaron Howard-Westbrook Sr., age 21. In late September 2023, the mother came home from work to find the baby with a swollen eye and lips and cold to the touch while in the father's care; the child was taken to Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters (CHKD). On October 4-5, the baby again became inconsolable and wouldn't take a bottle, prompting a second hospital visit. On October 6, Child Protective Services contacted police about the infant's undetermined injuries. Medical examination revealed a brain injury, hemorrhages to the skull and eyes, and findings consistent with abusive head trauma described by doctors as resulting from forces "severe and far in excess of normal parenting." The father admitted to police he may have shaken or rocked the baby too hard out of frustration, and the mother reported receiving a text from her husband about shaking the baby too hard. The child died on November 1, 2023, from blunt force trauma to the head, which was ruled a homicide by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Howard-Westbrook Sr. was arrested on May 3, 2024, and ultimately pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter and child abuse, receiving a sentence of ten years with eight years suspended.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The 13NewsNow article states the infant died from blunt force trauma to the head, after being "shaken, beaten or stricken." The WAVY article notes the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide, the result of "blunt force trauma to the head." Dr. Bavan Singh's report described the brain hemorrhages as the result of "forces that were severe and far in excess of normal parenting." The 13NewsNow article also describes an earlier incident where the baby was found with "a swollen eye and lips" while in the father's care.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
The WAVY article states: "Lab results showed concern for abusive head trauma." The father told police he may have "rocked" the four-month-old too hard. The 13NewsNow article states "Howard-Westbrook's wife told police a few weeks later her husband texted her about shaking the baby too hard," and that the infant died from blunt force trauma to the head after being "shaken, beaten or stricken." Additionally, the WAVY article references Dr. Bavan Singh's findings of "a brain injury and hemorrhages to the skull and eyes" — classic indicators of shaken baby syndrome / abusive head trauma.
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
All three documents identify Aaron Howard-Westbrook Sr. as the child's father. The NNPD press release states: "Charges were then obtained against the child's father, 21-year-old Aaron Howard-Westbrook Sr." The WAVY article describes him as having been arrested "in connection with the death of his 4-month-old son." The 13NewsNow article corroborates this and describes how Howard-Westbrook was home alone with his son during at least one incident of injury. The 13NewsNow article refers to "Howard-Westbrook's wife" in relation to the child, further confirming he is the biological father.
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
The WAVY article states: "on Oct. 6, 2023, Child Protective Services contacted NNPD in reference to an infant who was transported to a local hospital with 'undetermined injuries.'" The child did not die until November 1, 2023, meaning CPS was involved nearly a month before the child's death. Additionally, the 13NewsNow article describes an earlier hospital visit in late September when the wife found the baby with "a swollen eye and lips" and the child was "cold to the touch," indicating prior concerning events that prompted hospital visits before the CPS report.
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
The NNPD press release states: "Charges were then obtained against the child's father, 21-year-old Aaron Howard-Westbrook Sr. of Newport News, for second-degree murder, child abuse/neglect causing serious injury (x2) and malicious wounding. He was taken into custody on May 3, 2024." The WAVY article's update further confirms he "pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter and child abuse on July 29, 2025" and "was sentenced to ten years with eight years suspended."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge from these documents. First, the WAVY article reports that Howard-Westbrook's original charges of second-degree murder, child abuse/neglect, and malicious wounding were reduced through a plea deal to involuntary manslaughter and child abuse, resulting in a sentence of "ten years with eight years suspended and received two years of probation" — effectively two years of incarceration for the death of a 4-month-old. The sentence was also noted to "run consecutively with another," suggesting an additional legal matter not detailed in the documents. Second, there was a roughly seven-month gap between the child's death (November 1, 2023) and the father's arrest (May 3, 2024), with the medical examiner not ruling the death a homicide until May 2, 2024, as noted in the 13NewsNow article. Third, the WAVY article includes a social media post by the father from January 2024 — two months after his son died and before his arrest — that states: "when you lose your path, you must be able to take your pain. Without pain there would be no suffering, without suffering we would never learn from our mistakes," which may be relevant to understanding the perpetrator's awareness and mindset.
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