DANVILLE, Va – Police are sharing new details about the cause of death for two young infants in Danville, both allegedly killed by their fathers.
22-year-old Kanyon Wade Guthrie was arrested August 20 and charged with homicide and child abuse in connection with the death of his eight-month-old son. Investigators had been looking into the case since June. Danville police said the child’s injuries were consistent with strangulation.
The investigation began on June 12 when medical staff at Sovah Health notified police about the boy’s death. Family members found the child in the house unresponsive, called 911 and EMS transported the child to the hospital.
Police also announced the arrest of 22-year-old Antoine Jefferson who faces homicide and child abuse charges. Police said his three-month old’s injuries were consistent with having been shaken.
According to police, the investigation started on Aug. 9 when the parents drove their infant to Sovah Health - Danville because he was unresponsive, and medical staff alerted the police.
The infant was then transferred to Duke University Medical Center where he died on Aug. 12, according to police.
“Those cases have often been overshadowed by the violence that Danville has experienced in years past, this year four homicides, three of them domestic-related, so it’s become a little more obvious some of the social concerns that we still struggle with as a community,” said Danville Police Lieutenant Richard Chivvis.
Lieutenant Richard Chivvis said the work of the medical examiner played a key role in the arrests.
“Cases like these with an infant death in particular, the medical examiner record and the medical examiner’s subsequent report and autopsy become crucial to these cases very often,” Chivvis said.
Both men are set to have their first court appearances Thursday morning in Danville Juvenile and Domestic relations court.