Charles Edward Davis Jr., 32, was arrested on Sunday in Inglewood and booked in Long Beach for murder and assaulting a child resulting in death.
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He was being held on $2 million bail.
Investigators say Davis is responsible for the death of 2-year-old William Meeks III of Long Beach.
Police say on June 16, 2019, paramedics transported an injured child to the hospital from a parking lot of a liquor store in the 900 block of Daisy Avenue. The child died two days later.
Officials initially thought the child may have died of a medical emergency. But an autopsy later determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and the case was classified as a murder.
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Investigators believe the child was beaten inside a car, a silver 2016 Hyundai Sonata, that was parked at the liquor store.
Davis is described as an acquaintance of the boy's mother.
Police ask anyone with additional information to contact Long Beach Police Homicide detectives at (562)570-7244 or provide anonymous information to Crime Stoppers at (800)222-TIPS.
Police anticipate presenting the case to the District Attorney's Office this week for charges.