Virginia Father Charged with Second-Degree Murder After Admitting to Choking 1-Year-Old Son to Death
October 2, 2024
VIRGINIA: A heartbreaking and disturbing crime has shaken the community in Front Royal, Virginia, where a father allegedly confessed to choking his 1-year-old son to death because the child "wasn't listening."
Nathaniel Lee Edmonds, 29, remains in custody at the Rappahannock-Shenandoah-Warren Regional Jail without bond, charged with second-degree murder in connection with his son's tragic death.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by PEOPLE, Edmonds was supposed to be watching his son while the boy's mother was at work. However, when she returned home, she found her child unresponsive in his bed, and Edmonds was nowhere to be found.
Police later located Edmonds walking down a street approximately seven miles from the family's home. During questioning, Edmonds allegedly confessed to choking his son using both hands for several minutes because the child "wasn't listening and he couldn't take it anymore."
The complaint states that Edmonds admitted to committing the heinous act in the child's own bed, where the mother later discovered his lifeless body.
The Front Royal Police Department reported that the child was taken to Warren Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Edmonds' motive and mental state are unclear, but his actions have sparked outrage and raised concerns about child abuse and domestic violence.
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