De QUEEN, Ark. (AP) - Authorities say a man charged in the beating death of his newborn son has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
Vonderrick Smith entered the plea Monday in De Queen. The Texarkana Gazette reports (http://is.gd/lZ0uiD ) that Smith was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Smith was charged in the February 2011 death of his son, 1-month-old Kason Smith. Authorities say the baby suffered multiple internal injuries and died at a Dallas hospital.
An autopsy found Kason died of blunt-force trauma and had ruptured blood vessels behind his eyes.
Prosecutor Bryan Chesshir says the baby's relatives supported the plea deal. Smith's attorney, Darrell F. Brown Jr. , was not immediately available for comment.
Information from: Texarkana Gazette, http://www.texarkanagazette.com
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