Gastonia man charged with murder in death of infant son

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GASTONIA, N.C. — A Gastonia man is facing murder charges in the death of his son, who was less than a year old.

Robert Middleton Jr., 28, was booked into the Gaston County Jail on Friday without bond on charges of first-degree murder and child abuse causing severe bodily injury.

Police said Middleton fractured his son Deville Middleton’s skull. This led to a brain bleed and the child’s death.

According to arrest warrants obtained by our news partner the Gaston Gazette, the abuse happened between June 8 and June 21, but the day the boy died is unclear.

Middleton’s other baby son had similar injuries and survived, officials said.

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No other information has been released on this case.

Middleton has several convictions in Mecklenburg County, according to the Gazette. He was convicted for violating a protective order in 2015 as well as for two counts of attempted first-degree arson in 2014.

In both cases, Middleton was given probation.