McKeesport baby who police say was shaken by father dies at hospital
A 5-month-old infant boy who police said was injured after being violently shaken by his father has died.
Michael Armstrong of McKeesport’s Harrison Village died at a hospital at 5:12 p.m. Sunday, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The office did not provide the cause or manner of death.
Emergency responders were called to Harrison Village on Aug. 31 for a report of an unresponsive infant.
Police said the boy’s father, Michael Barber, 29, had been caring for his two children alone and gave varying reports on how the baby suffered brain injuries, according to the criminal complaint.
The complaint said Barber shook his infant son because he was frustrated the baby would not stop crying.
Barber later demonstrated to detectives how he shook Armstrong twice and said he was frustrated because he was “always being left to care for his two children,” the complaint said.
Barber was charged Aug. 31 with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of children and was released from Allegheny County Jail after posting $10,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 12. As of Monday evening, additional charges had not been filed in connection with the child’s death, according to online records.
Joyce Hanz is a native of Charleston, S.C. and is a features reporter covering the Pittsburgh region. She majored in media arts and graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at jhanz@triblive.com
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.