St. Paul man charged with murder in death of 3-year-old boy

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - A St. Paul man accused of killing his girlfriend’s 3-year-old son is charged with second degree murder.

Authorities say 34-year-old Devioun Johnson was caring for the child and his older brother while their mother was at work on June 24. Johnson told police the boy ate dinner, watched a movie and later was “sleeping and breathing fine.” The following morning, the victim’s brother told Johnson the 3-year-old was not breathing.

The Ramsey County medical examiner says the boy died of a closed head injury with internal bleeding in the head and spinal cord and bilateral bleeding in the optic nerve sheaths. He also suffered a depressed skull fracture.

Johnson is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Friday. An attorney was not listed for him in the court record.