By RENÉE C. LEE Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
Aug. 28, 2008, 11:38PM

CONROE — A 27-year-old man faces a capital murder charge in the death of a 3-year-old autistic boy whose head was beaten and feet were burned.

Police arrested Chase Cannon on Wednesday. Under state law, a person is charged with a capital offense when the victim is 6 or younger.

Ethan Kirby was taken to Memorial Hermann Children's Hospital on Aug. 21 by ambulance after his mother and Cannon, her boyfriend, called 911 for help, said Conroe police spokesman Sgt. Bob Berry.

Hospital officials notified police, saying they believed the boy's injuries were not caused by an accident, Berry said.

Investigators went to the hospital and interviewed Cannon and the child's mother. They determined there was sufficient reason to open an investigation for possible child abuse, Berry said.

The child died on Saturday. An autopsy by the Harris County medical examiner determined he died from blunt trauma of the head. The report said Ethan had what appeared to be a serious injury to the back of the head, a broken left arm, several bruises in different stages of healing, and what appeared to be burns to the bottom of his feet, Berry said.

Police are not releasing the mother's name because she has not been charged. The case is under investigation, Berry said.

renee.lee@chron.com

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5972941.html

Emphasis added by H4K Editor