Austell man charged in baby’s death

A 22-year-old Austell man has been charged with murder in the death of a baby at a Cobb County apartment complex.

Orlando Dyer was arrested Thursday on aggravated battery and child cruelty charges after emergency medical personnel arrived at the Whisper Woods Apartment complex and found the 2-month-old girl not breathing and bleeding from the nose and mouth.

The girl was taken off life support and pronounced dead Friday at Egleston Hospital, said Cobb police spokesman Sgt. Dana Pierce. The charges were upgraded Monday to felony murder.

Pierce said the autopsy report ruled the toddler died of blunt force trauma to the head.

Authorities are not sure of the relationship between Dyer and the child’s mother, whose name was not released. Pierce said he didn’t know if Dyer was the toddler’s father. Pierce said the mother has been cooperating with the police.