NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) – The father was arrested in connection with an early-morning crash in Nashville that killed a 4-month old baby.
Metro Police charged 21-year-old Malcolm Hensley with vehicular homicide and felony aggravated child abuse.
The arrest comes after police said Hensley was driving on Bell Road near Couchville Pike at 1:50 a.m. when he drove off the road and hit a rock wall.
When officers arrived, they found Hensley holding his baby, Messiah Hensley, in the driver’s seat.
Hensley told police that Messiah was in his car seat. However, police said, “the safety carrier was found face down against the rear driver’s side door and not secured to the rear seat.”
Malcolm Hensley told police that a deer ran in front of his car, which was why he crashed into the wall. Police said, “there was no roadway evidence to indicate a swerve.”
Malcolm Hensley was arrested after leaving Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
“The decision to charge Hensley was made after crash investigators reviewed the circumstances of the collision with the District Attorney’s Office,” Metro Police said in a statement on Friday.
There will be an autopsy done to determine the exact cause of the baby’s death. There were no indications of drug or alcohol present at the time of the crash.
Police located an infant bottle on the driver’s floorboard.