38 year old Dustin B. Shires, of Highland, has been arrested and charged in connection with the death of an infant last week.
On Tuesday, March 14, Highland Emergency Services and Highland Police Officers responded to 19 Cardinal Lane in reference to a 911 call reporting a three-month-old infant not breathing.
The infant was transported by ambulance to HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital, Highland, and then transferred to SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Hospital in St. Louis via helicopter.
Medical staff pronounced the infant deceased at 6:09 p.m. The St. Louis City Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy on Wednesday, March 15.
Highland Police, along with the Southern Illinois Child Death Investigation Task Force, the Department of Children and Family Services, the Madison County Child Advocacy Center and the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office began an investigation into the death, determining that the injuries causing the infant’s death were non-accidental.
As a result, Dustin B. Shires was arrested Wednesday afternoon, March 15, and has been charged with two counts of alleged First Degree Murder, both class M felonies. His bond was set at $3 million.
