Missouri couple charged after leaving their baby starving to death

5years ago

The Missouri couple accused of fatally starving their 6-week-old boy have been charged.

Phillip Thomas Leon Compton, 31, and Jessica Alice Cook, 33, were charged Friday with abuse or neglect of a child resulting in death.

The court documents show that Kanaan Leon Compton who was born on Dec.24, 2017 lost more than a pound in his last five months, he was having trouble breathing and appeared to be malnourished. He was pronounced dead on Feb.10 while weighing only 5 pounds at a hospital in Festus.

The autopsy showed that the baby died of malnutrition and probable dehydration. Compton's attorney said that his client was unaware that the boy wasn't being fed regularly, "he worked full time and was only assuming his wife was feeding his child."