Dylan Royer

A Broussard-area man has been charged with first-degree murder following the death of a 9-year-old boy.

Currently being held without bond in the Lafayette Parish Jail is Ronjoenox Hamilton, 31, 205 Mineral Road, Broussard.

According to Lt. Craig Stansbury with the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office, the case began at 11:30 p.m. Saturday when officers where called to Women and Children's Hospital in Lafayette in reference to suspicious circumstances involving a badly injured child.

"Upon arrival, deputies spoke with the attending E.R. doctors who advised that Hamilton had brought in his girlfriend's nine-year-old boy who was non-responsive and not breathing at the time," Stansbury said.

"Hospital staff began treating the child and discovered significant injuries throughout the body, which indicated to them he had been severely beaten," Stansbury said.

The child, then listed in critical condition, was put on a respirator.

Stansbury said sheriff's deputies and detectives immediately began an investigation, which quickly determined the child had been in Hamilton's care and received the injuries from him.

Hamilton was then arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder.

Stansbury said police were informed by the hospital's staff at 2:20 p.m. Sunday that the child had died from his injuries, and the charges against Hamilton were then upgraded to first-degree murder.

"The case remains under investigation," Stansbury said