'I got him to sleep.' Father arraigned in Centerville death of six-week-old son

BARNSTABLE — Cobain Martin Patterson was deeply loved by his family during the 48 days he was alive, said his great-grandfather.

"We're going to miss him. He was a great little kid, great little baby and we had some fun with him," Hal Mosher said to reporters outside Barnstable Superior Court.

Cobain's father, Randy Patterson-Gerber, 25, formerly of Centerville, was arraigned on Monday on a first-degree murder charge in connection to the six-week-old's death in 2021.

"Your Honor, I plead not guilty with as much respect as I can," said Patterson-Gerber.

Patterson-Gerber was indicted by a Barnstable County grand jury, according to a statement released by Cape and Islands District Attorney Robert Galibois on Sunday.

Patterson-Gerber was arrested by Dedham police, the statement said.

Authorities' account of the 2021 death

Around 10:25 a.m. on Sept. 7, 2021, Barnstable police went to a Centerville house to respond to a 911 call regarding an unresponsive six-week-old baby. When they arrived, officers found the baby unresponsive, discolored and cool to the touch, according to Cape and Islands Second District Attorney Tara Cappola.

CPR was performed on the infant on the way to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis. The baby later died after being flown to a Boston area hospital.

At the time, Patterson-Gerber and Cobain's mother resided in a spare room at the Centerville house, owned by another woman.

Investigators learned Patterson-Gerber had been "extremely intoxicated" the night before and at one point had to be put to bed, said Cappola.

Five or six people who were at the house all reported the baby was happy, healthy and showed no injuries.

In the morning, Cobain woke up fussy, refusing to take a bottle and crying. It was ultimately discovered he had COVID-19. At one point, Cobain's mother handed the baby to Patterson-Gerber and went to speak to the homeowner and call the pediatrician around 9:10 a.m.

"While she was sitting in the living room taking some time, the defendant walked out of the bedroom and indicated, 'I got him to sleep,' and then walked outside to smoke a cigarette," said Cappola.

About 40 minutes later, Cobain's mother went into the bedroom where she found Patterson-Gerber face down sleeping on the bed next to the baby, who was facing up.

She immediately realized the baby was not breathing and started screaming, beginning to call 911, said Cappola.

At one point, Patterson-Gerber walked into the living room holding the baby up with one hand like Simba from the 'Lion King,' said Cappola.

Patterson-Gerber later told police he had tried to soothe the baby and then "suddenly he left the baby alone and the baby just stopped crying," said Cappola.

But hospital staff told authorities Cobain's injuries indicated blunt force trauma and a medical examiner said they were consistent with "being thrown out a window," she said.

Cobain's tibialis were both fractured as if someone had "twisted them in an awkward fashion," according to Cappola. He had broken ribs on his left which were not consistent with CPR and had some bruises on his head.

"His skull and his brain were just hemorrhaged. His eyeballs were hemorrhaged," said Cappola.

Patterson-Gerber is also alleged to have abused his new infant — an infant different from Cobain Martin Patterson — said Cappola, citing a warrant out of Dedham District Court. The mother in that case woke up to the sound of her baby's muffled crying. She looked up and saw Patterson-Gerber "clutching the baby's mouth closed," said Cappola.

A full-body scan of that baby later found serious injuries consistent with twisting and fractures, said Cappola.

Attorney responds to allegations

Judge Mark Gildea ordered Patterson-Gerber held on Monday without prejudice.

While prosecutors had provided a long list of Cobain's injuries, Patterson-Gerber's attorney Paul Lonardo-Roy said they had not proved Patterson-Gerber was responsible and would "like an opportunity to examine that before we argue bail."

"There's a lot going on here that needs to be examined. For example, there's an allegation that the mother .... threw the baby," said Lonardo-Roy. "And that obviously would not involve Mr. Patterson-Gerber."

Patterson-Gerber is next expected in court on Jan. 3.

Hal Mosher, the baby's great-grandfather, said he felt "justice was served."

"I'm very happy with that. We didn't fall between the cracks. Justice has been served and that means a lot and now we just go on from there," said Mosher.

Zane Razzaq writes about housing and real estate. Reach her at zrazzaq@capecodonline.com. Follow her on X @zanerazz.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Man, 25, arraigned on murder charge in Cape death of six-week-old son