Inglewood man, 32, charged with murder in beating death of 2-year-old Long Beach boy

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- A 32-year-old Inglewood man was charged for the murder of a 2-year-old child in Long Beach that happened last summer.

Charles Edward Davis Jr., 32, was arrested Sunday for beating William Meeks III to death. Davis was charged Wednesday with one count each of murder and assault on a child resulting in death, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office.

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.

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.

He was being held on $2 million bail. If convicted, Davis faces a possible maximum sentence of life in prison.