Newport Beach : Murder Charges Filed in Death of Child

After a three-week investigation, authorities on Friday upgraded the charges against house painter Brian Laudenback to murder in the death of his girlfriend’s 22-month-old son, police said.

Laudenback, 32, of Newport Beach, had been charged last month with felony corporal punishment on a child after the death of Tyler Jaeger, the son of his girlfriend, Karey Jaeger, 22.

Laudenback was arrested after the child died March 25 at Hoag Hospital. A preliminary autopsy showed that the child, who was being baby-sat by Laudenback, had suffered severe blows to his liver and pancreas caused by a blunt instrument.

A week earlier the child had entered the same hospital with a large bump on his head that turned out to be a fractured skull. Laudenback said at the time that the child had fallen accidentally and hit his head.

Laudenback’s arraignment, which was to occur Friday at Harbor Court, was postponed for unspecified reasons until next week, at which time he will be allowed to enter a plea on the new charge, said Newport Beach police spokesman Paul Henisey.

The arraignment date will be set Monday for Laudenback, whose bail was set at $250,000, Henisey said.