Virginia Man Charged in 2013 Death of 3-Month-Old Son

A Haymarket, Va., man faces murder charges in the August death of his 3-month-old son, whom investigators say was shaken.

On Aug. 5, 2013, David Michael Schmidt called police to the home he shared with his wife in the 14900 block of Keavy Place to report that his son, Rhys Schmidt, was not breathing.

"He called stating that his child had gone unresponsive and wasn't breathing," said Prince William County Police officer Jonathan Perok.

Rhys was flown to an area hospital but died two weeks later. Doctors determined that he sustained injuries consistent with being shaken.

Detectives from the Homicide Unit and Physical Abuse Unit investigated the baby's death, and David Schmidt was arrested Thursday.

Schmidt is charged with murder and felony child abuse, police announced Monday. He was ordered held on a $50,000 bond.

A bond hearing is scheduled for Thursday. His attorney is fighting to reduce bond, and said Schmidt is not a flight risk and has no past criminal record.

According to court documents, Schmidt, 28, served nine years in the U.S. Marine Corps and got out in 2013. He is currently a contract worker with the federal government.

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