Oceanside

Police have arrested the father of a 5-week-old baby on suspicion of murder after the boy died of head injuries.

Deron Kristopher Johnson Jr. died Monday at 5:30 p.m of injuries he suffered Dec. 26, Officer Robert George said.

The baby’s father, Deron Kristopher Johnson, 26, had been in custody on attempted-murder charges, which were upgraded after the infant died, George said.

The baby apparently was severely shaken at the family’s home in the 100 block of Avenida Descanso in Oceanside, George said.

On Dec. 26, police got a call from a neighbor, who reported that the baby was not breathing. When officers arrived, they found Johnson attempting to revive the infant with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Officers found no vital signs and began cardiopulmonary resuscitation efforts. The infant was taken to Tri-Cities Medical Center, then transferred to Children’s Hospital in San Diego, where he died.

Police said Johnson told them that, sometime after awakening for an 11 p.m. feeding, the baby rolled his eyes and began to turn blue. At that point, Johnson said, he sought help from a neighbor.

Police said Johnson told them he shook the infant but that they had not determined why.

Chandra Johnson, the child’s mother, was not home at the time of the incident.