Arrest warrants detail injuries baby suffered at Myrtle Beach hotel

A 6-week-old baby found unresponsive in a Myrtle Beach hotel room died of physical injuries consistent with shaken baby syndrome, police say.

The new detail was released on Thursday in arrest warrants for Geames Kena Ratliff, who faces a charge of homicide by child abuse.

Police found the infant unresponsive in a room at the Camelot Resort, 2000 N. Ocean Blvd., on Sunday. Officers searched the hotel room and said they found a white powdery substance, which tested positive for cocaine, near the child’s bottle.

The child was initially in critical condition at Grand Strand Regional Medical Center, according to the warrants.

There were four other children in the hotel room, according to the warrants.

Ratliff, 37, and his wife, Laquena Lanishia Bostic, were arrested on Sunday and initially charged with five counts of unlawful neglect of a child and possession of cocaine. On Wednesday, police announced the additional homicide by child abuse charge against Ratliff after the baby died Tuesday morning. The two adults are the baby’s parents.

Ratliff went in front of Judge Jennifer Wilson on Thursday. Due to the nature of the charges, bond was not set because it must be done by a circuit court judge.

Ratliff, wearing an orange jump suit, remained mostly silent except to address questions from Wilson. No one spoke on his behalf, and his attorney was not in attendance.

Ratliff had no previous criminal charge, according to a S.C. Law Enforcement Division background check.

This story was originally published August 29, 2019 at 10:39 AM.