Jenkins

A city man is behind bars on involuntary manslaughter and related charges in the death of his infant son in 2022.

Robert Paul Charles Jenkins Jr., 34, was arrested Monday after a nearly three-year investigation into the death of the 8-week-old child.

According to Altoona police, the death of the baby on Sept. 5, 2022, was originally attributed to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). However, several months later, upon return of toxicology reports, it was found that the infant had a BAC of 0.149, along with methamphetamine in his system.

The death was then attributed to alcohol intoxication.

In a lengthy affidavit of probable cause, police laid out the investigation into the infant’s death starting with the arrival of officers at 11:06 p.m. Sept. 5 at the home on the 1400 block of Third Avenue, where it was reported a baby was in cardiac arrest.

Police found the baby being held by Jenkins, who was not performing CPR and told officers that he didn’t know what to do.

During the initial interview, Jenkins told police he was swaddling the baby and placed the child on a small pillow on the couch. Jenkins said he fell asleep on the couch and woke up about an hour later to find the baby blue and unresponsive. He then called 911, Jenkins told police.

Police learned the baby’s mother had not been at the home since a domestic dispute on Aug. 21, 2022, and that Jenkins was home alone with the baby and the couple’s 1-year-old child, who was asleep upstairs.

While recording the scene, officers found drug paraphernalia consistent with methamphetamine and a small area of blood on the pillow the baby had been on, the report states.

During the investigation that night, police found a message on Jenkins cellphone contacting a person via Facebook Messenger asking “Yo bro you got any up?” Police said this is a common term used for methamphetamine.

The coroner arrived and said the baby’s stomach was swollen and rigid and he had blood around his nose, the affidavit states.

An autopsy presented an preliminary finding of SIDS, but on Jan. 17, 2023, toxicology reports show the baby had a BAC of 0.149 and meth in his system, the report states.

The cause of death was listed as likely alcohol intoxication with the death ruled a homicide, the report states.

Police were unable to contact Jenkins until April 2023, at which time, he agreed to a follow-up interview. He told police he didn’t give the baby alcohol, instead stating the child’s mother used peanut butter whiskey on the baby’s gums when the child was first born. He also claimed the mother possibly broke into the home and gave the baby alcohol. He said his sister is a drug user and that she likely touched the baby with residue on her hands.

Police talked with Blair County Children, Youth and Families, who reportedly had interactions with Jenkins and explained safe sleep for the infant and offered a bassinet. CYS reported a second meeting with Jenkins, where he left the baby on a pillow, according to the affidavit.

Police also contacted Jenkins’ sister, who said she has been clean from drugs for years and doesn’t drink. She said when she dropped Jenkins and his children off at their home on

Sept. 5, there was no one else at the home when she left. She said Jenkins called her shortly after midnight to tell her the baby died.

Police also interviewed the baby’s mother and friend to confirm no one else was in the house at the time of the baby’s death.

In addition, the mother said she has not used controlled substances since 2017. She did not know if Jenkins currently used meth, the report states.

When asked about alcohol, the mother told police Jenkins’ sister tried to convince her and Jenkins to use alcohol in the past when their other child was crying.

Based on the findings of the investigation, police determined that Jenkins was alone with the child and was responsible for providing a fatal dose of alcohol to the baby, causing his death, the affidavit states.

Police note that Jenkins tried to place blame on the child’s mother and on his sister, but that information was disproved during the investigation.

Jenkins was arraigned Monday before Magisterial District Judge Benjamin Jones on a charge of involuntary manslaughter, three felony charges of aggravated assault, a felony charge of endangering the welfare of children and misdemeanor charges of recklessly endangering another person and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Unable to post $100,000 bail, he was remanded to the Blair County Prison.

His preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 27 before Jones.