Charles City man charged with murder in death of infant son

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A Charles City man was arrested in New Hampton Monday and charged with murder in the death of his 3½-month-old son in Charles City last summer.

According to information from the Charles City Police Department and from documents filed in Floyd County District Court, Shane Michael Morris, age 25, was charged with first degree murder and child endangerment resulting in death.

“The defendant killed a 3½-month-old child while committing an assault or while committing child endangerment, … and the death occurred under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to human life,” according to the criminal complaint filed by the Charles City Police Department.

“On the morning of August 3, 2019, the child was in the sole care of the defendant. The defendant committed an act which caused the child to be transported to the Floyd County Medical Center in Charles City,” the complaint states.

“At no time at the hospital did the defendant provide information regarding any trauma to the child that occurred on that morning,” the document says.

The child was intubated and flown via air ambulance to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where he died on Aug. 4 as the result of injuries.

An obituary printed in the Press on Aug. 7, 2019, lists the death of Xander Michael Morris, infant son of Nicole Houser and Shane Morris of Charles City, who died Aug. 4, 2019, at the Mayo Clinic Hospital St. Mary’s Campus in Rochester, Minnesota.

According to the criminal complaint, when the child arrived at Mayo the medical staff observed “a large bulge on the side of the child’s head.”

“Medical tests showed the child had a skull fracture as a likely result of non-accidental trauma,” the criminal complaint says.

Morris denied when interviewed by law enforcement that anything happened to the child which would have caused these injuries while the child was under his care, according to the court document.

“After further questioning by law enforcement the defendant stated earlier that morning, while walking with the child in his arms, he tripped and the child’s head struck the edge of their kitchen counter. The defendant also stated after striking the edge of the counter, he fell on the floor with the child under him,” the document says.

An autopsy was performed at the Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner’s Office on Aug. 5, and concluded the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and the manner was homicide, the complaint says.

Charles City Police Chief Hugh Anderson said Tuesday in a press statement that on Aug. 3, 2019, the department started an investigation into a possible child abuse case on a 3½-month-old child.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was contacted to assist with the case and worked with the CCPD during an extensive investigation, Anderson said.

A warrant for Morris’ arrest was issued on Monday and Morris was arrested that day in New Hampton by the Charles City Police Department with the assistance of the New Hampton police.

Morris made an initial appearance Tuesday and was ordered held under $500,000 cash bond on the murder charge and $25,000 cash bond on the child endangerment charge, for a total bond of $525,000.

A preliminary hearing was scheduled for March 20 in Floyd County District Court, although the County Attorney’s Office will usually file a trial information formally listing the charges and a preliminary hearing won’t be held. In that case an arraignment hearing will be scheduled, but often the defendant’s attorney will file a written plea and an arraignment will also not be held.

Attorneys Parker Thirnbeck and Matthew Pittenger of Mason City both filed notice of appearance representing Morris.