11-year-old dies week after man repeatedly hit his head against wall, charges amended

A Fergus Falls man has been charged with murder following the death of an 11-year-old, who was assaulted last month.

Reggie Charles Bethel, 56, is charged with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and second-degree manslaughter.

A criminal complaint states Fergus Falls police and medical personnel responded to a home in the 1100 block of South Mill Street at 8:54 a.m. on July 29 on a report of an 11-year-old that had suffered a head injury. There, officers found the boy unresponsive on the couch, with a fresh cut under his chin, abrasions to his forehead, right eye and ear, and bruising to his left eye and cheek, and with a large patch of blood on his shirt.

The boy was taken to a hospital and later airlifted to Sanford Medical Center in Fargo.

Bethel told officers the boy was cleaning up dog urine when he slipped and fell, the complaint states. He added that he then tried to pick the boy up, but they both fell two more times.

Doctors indicated the injuries weren’t accidental due to how significant they were, and the boy’s mother — after initially stating what Bethel had said — changed her story to say Bethel had banged the boy’s head on the floor and wall. The complaint adds that the boy’s mother called the incident a common occurrence and a form of discipline.

After police told him what the boy’s mother had said, Bethel admitted to lying and confirmed that he got frustrated and hit the boy’s head against the wall four or five times and also kicked him while he was on the floor, the complaint states. Bethel claimed he has anger management issues and couldn’t control his anger.

Police were told on Aug. 7 that the boy had died, and his death was ruled a homicide.

Bethel remained in custody as of Thursday afternoon.