Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist charged Kingsa McKnight, 32, with homicide by abuse and murder in the second degree for beating his 3-year-old son to death. McKnight is scheduled to be arraigned today at 1:30 p.m. in room 270 of the County-City Building in Tacoma.

“This horrific abuse defies rational explanation,” said Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. “Children are innocents who need our care and protection.”

On June 13, 2014 McKnight took his son to an urgent care center because he was lethargic and vomiting. The nurse told him the child needed to go to the emergency department immediately, but McKnight took his son home instead.

On June 21, when the child became unconscious, McKnight drove his son to the hospital. After twelve rounds of CPR, the victim was placed on life support. He had bruises on his head and chest, and a CT scan revealed two subdural hemorrhages and a skull fracture. Doctors determined the head injuries were caused by trauma, and were inflicted just a few hours prior to the victim’s arrival at the hospital. Further testing showed the victim had suffered a liver laceration and a rib fracture at different times during the last month.

On June 23, the victim was taken off life support and he died.

The victim’s parents lived separately, and the victim had spent the last three days in his father’s care. The victim’s mother told detectives that McKnight was angry because the victim was having potty training issues. McKnight told detectives that he shared a bed with his son, and his son had wet the bed the two previous nights.

Charges are only allegations and a person is presumed innocent unless he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.