YUCCA VALLEY MAN FACES MURDER CHARGES AFTER CHILD ABUSE VICTIM DIES

The one-year-old boy who had been on life support at Loma Linda Medical Center since Saturday has died, and a Yucca Valley man has been charged with his murder. The child, whose name has not been released, was hospitalized Saturday with unspecified injuries, but which doctors said were consistent with child abuse. The victim had been taken to Hi-Desert Medical Center Saturday from his home in the 55500 block of 29 Palms Highway, and he was subsequently flown to Loma Linda hospital. Arthur Davies, 34, is the boyfriend of the boy’s mother, and deputies initially arrested Davies on suspicion of attempted murder. But when the boy died at 10:44 p.m. Monday night, the district attorney’s office changed Davies’ charge on Tuesday from attempted murder to murder and assault resulting in the death of a child. Arthur Davies is being held in the Central Detention Center on $1 million bail.