Parents charged in death of 2-year-old who reportedly fell down stairs

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Two northwest Harris County parents have been arrested almost a year after their 2-year-old son's death.

Fredrick Brown and Christin Patrick, both 26, were arrested Wednesday and charged with seriously injuring their only child, Saint Brown, in September 2022.

A Texas Department of Child and Family Services report states an autopsy determined he died of physical abuse, specifically severe injuries to his brain and eyes.

The doctor who conducted the autopsy found the boy was covered in bruises, bite marks, cuts, scars, swollen and hemorrhaging. His injuries were in various stages of healing, indicating he had been beaten several times.

There was also evidence he had been attacked with a cord and ruler. His parents admitted to giving him pops with a ruler, according to documents. The autopsy indicates he had been beaten on the face with it.

The boy was malnourished and in the fifth percentile among his age group for weight.

The report states Patrick and Brown told investigators the boy fell down the stairs outside their apartment. However, the autopsy determined his injuries were "inconsistent" with falling down the stairs.

According to the state report, law enforcement suspected Brown was selling marijuana out of their apartment on the 5900 block of Flintlock Road apartment where the boy died. A source close to the investigation told ABC13 he was arrested with narcotics and an assault rifle and will face additional charges.

A woman identifying herself as the boy's grandmother wrote under his obituary that he was a gift from God, she added, "I miss your pure heart, your love, your smile, your wisdom."

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