SPRINGFIELD, MO – Authorities have charged a Missouri couple with child endangerment following the death of their 5-month-old son, saying a pattern of suspicious internet searches led investigators to believe the infant died as a result of a violent head injury.
Roshonda Hagens, 34, and Joshua Riley, 39, each face first-degree child endangerment charges in connection to the December 2022 incident. According to police, digital evidence recovered from their cell phones included Google searches on shaken baby syndrome, head injuries in infants, legal representation, and inquiries about international travel and extradition laws.
The investigation began after Hagens brought her child, unresponsive and not breathing, to a Springfield hospital on Dec. 5, 2022. Medical staff managed to revive the child and put him on life support, but he succumbed to his injuries and died several days later.
An autopsy later determined the infant died from a closed head injury, ruling the manner of death as homicide. Forensic examiners found not only recent injuries but also older rib fractures in different stages of healing, suggesting repeated trauma over time.
Detectives allege that immediately following the child’s collapse, both parents turned to the internet for guidance. Among the searches, Hagens reportedly asked, “How do I know if my baby is OK after a fall?” while Riley is said to have queried the seriousness of head injuries in children and asked, “What does it mean when your poop is green?” Police found further searches related to international flights, passports, the legalities of extradition, and how location data is recorded.
Cell phone records also uncovered text messages between the couple, including Riley stating the child had “fell out the bed” shortly before the child was found unresponsive. Police say both parents offered misleading statements about their whereabouts and actions in the hours leading up to the incident.
Investigators reconstructed the couple’s activities in the days preceding the infant’s hospitalization, discovering they had traveled from Illinois through several states as Riley worked long-haul trucking jobs. Surveillance footage obtained from a truck stop in Strafford, Missouri, shows the couple eating together for approximately 43 minutes—the child was not present with them and was not checked during that time, according to police.
The child’s autopsy findings were grim. Investigators described evidence of brain bleeds, hemorrhages in both eyes, fractured ribs at multiple stages of healing, and significant bruises around the head. The pattern of injuries suggested more than one incident requiring emergency medical attention.
Prosecutors contend in their arrest filings that the timeline, evidence of trauma, and a trail of internet searches painted a troubling picture for both parents. The decision to turn to web searches after the child was injured, rather than seeking immediate care, has been cited by authorities as particularly concerning.
Both Hagens and Riley are being held while awaiting trial. Court dates and attorney information for the defendants were not immediately available. The investigation into the exact circumstances leading to the child’s fatal injuries remains active, officials said.