THOMPSON FALLS — A charge has been filed against a father for the deliberate homicide of his 3-month old child, after it was determined the child was a victim of shaken baby syndrome.

Gunnery McKenley Dye, 21, faces the charge for the death of his son, Shane Gabriel-Leon Dye.

According to a court affidavit, on April 16 at approximately 9:30 p.m. a Plains police officer responded to an emergency medical service call at a residence in Plains. When the officer arrived on scene, he saw grandmother Karla Ibarra performing maneuvers consistent with first aid and CPR on the child. Dye stated he was feeding the baby, when the baby “acted like he choked on the food.”

The baby was taken to Clark Fork Valley Hospital and was later transported to the Community Medical Center in Missoula.

At approximately 3 a.m. the dispatcher in Sanders County received a call from the care management from Community Medical Center. They advised they were filing a report with Child Protection Services under the belief that the baby was a victim of shaken baby syndrome.

Two Missoula County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the medical center to interview the parents.

Dye stated that after a bath, he began feeding the baby.

“He said about half way through the bottle the baby stated coughing and gagging and then its body got tight and then went limp,” stated the affidavit. “He said the baby was gasping for air.”

From there, Dye stated he ran over to Karla Ibarra’s residence where 911 later was called. The mother, Rachel Ibarra, had been at work during the time of the call.

The deputies asked whether Dye had shaken the baby and he denied doing so. He stated he had watched a video about the dangers shortly after the baby was born.

Dye did say the baby hit his head on the side of a bathtub and may have been injured, although he mentioned it was “a little tap on the back of the head.”

Rachel reported another possible injury that occurred earlier when the baby had been riding in a car. After driving over some potholes, the baby’s head moved “side to side rapidly.”

The baby was pronounced brain dead at 10:47 a.m. on April 18. His body was taken to the State Crime Lab where an autopsy was performed. The results determined the manner of death was homicide and the cause of death was craniocerebral and cervical trauma.

None of the episodes of trauma reported by Dye explained the autopsy findings, stated the affidavit, which goes on to state that the medical examiner believed the death was a result of an assault.

Dye is scheduled to appear in Sanders County District Court on Tuesday at 10 a.m. before Judge Deborah K. Christopher.

The charge of deliberate homicide, a felony, is punishable by death, by life imprisonment, or by imprisonment in the state prison for a term of not less than 10 years or more than 100 years.

Justyna Tomtas is the editor of the Clark Fork Valley Press.