Tacoma man charged in death of girlfriend's toddler

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — A Tacoma man has been charged with killing his girlfriend's 1-year-old son after the boy's mother brought the child to Mary Bridge Children's Hospital Saturday.

The News Tribune of Tacoma reports that 31-year-old Dedric Greer was charged Wednesday with second-degree murder in the death of Sayvon Jordan Jr.

Charging papers show Greer and Sayvon's mother brought the child to the hospital and doctors said he had been dead for a while.

Greer says the fatal injuries happened when he performed the Heimlich maneuver after the child swallowed a rock but doctors say Sayvon had other injuries and scars indicating abuse.

An autopsy shows Sayvon died of blunt force trauma to the abdomen.