Mother charged with murder after hitting child with computer keyboard

Mother charged with murder after hitting child with computer keyboard

1997, July 5

Associated Press

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP) -- A woman who admitted hitting her 4-year-old son with a computer keyboard has been charged with murder.

Eddiesenior Jones McLauchlin, 45, was charged Friday with felony child abuse as well as first-degree murder. She was jailed without bond and scheduled to appear in court Monday.

The child, Cory McLauchlin, was pronounced brain-dead Friday. His mother had told police that Cory stumbled in the middle of the night, struck his temple and then acted ``goofy.'' She later noticed he was unconscious and called for help, police said.

The mother admitted that she struck the child with a computer keyboard on Wednesday but did not believe she hit him hard enough to cause serious injury or death, Lt. Cliff Massengill said.

The child is being kept alive on a life-support system until his father, a soldier, returns from Bosnia this weekend to spend a few minutes with him. Then the life support will be turned off.