News Releases

Father Charged with Child Abuse Resulting in Son's Death

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Detectives from the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) – Major Crimes Division have arrested and charged Roger Lee Miller Jr., age 20, of the 11500 block of February Circle in White Oak, with two counts of child abuse related to the death of his 5-month old son, Darrell Lee Barnes.

On October 28, 2016 at approximately 8:08 a.m., the Emergency Communications Center received a call from Roger Miller. He reported that his son was gasping for air and then became unresponsive.  Miller also reported that the child was bleeding from the nose and was vomiting. Fire and Rescue personnel responded to the child's mother's home located in the 1500 block of Heather Hollow Circle in White Oak and transported the child to Holy Cross Hospital. There, doctors discovered that the child had sustained trauma to his head. The baby was then transported to Children’s National Medical Center in the District of Columbia for further treatment. MCPD investigators were notified and responded to the hospital.

On October 30, 2016, Barnes succumbed to his injuries at Children’s National Medical Center.  The final results of an autopsy, performed by the District of Colombia's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, are pending.  Medical personnel found that Barnes' injuries which led to his death were not sustained accidentally.

During the investigation, detectives spoke with the infant's mother.  She stated that on October 28 at approximately 6:20 a.m., she left the child, healthy and alert, in Miller’s care. Miller was the only person with Barnes during the time he sustained his injuries.

On January 8, 2017, investigators obtained a warrant for Miller’s arrest, charging him with first-degree child abuse resulting in death and first-degree child abuse resulting in severe physical injury.  Miller was arrested yesterday (January 9) and transported to the Central Processing Unit.  He was held without bond and will have bond review today at 1:00 p.m. in Rockville District Court.

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Release ID: 17-006
Media Contact: mcpnews 
Categories: child-abuse