ONANCOCK -- When Tamia Kellam, her mother and grandmother left Feb. 25 for a Saturday evening of fun and fellowship at their church, Kellam's infant son stayed home with his father.

It was a chilly night -- too chilly for four-week-old Winston Kamron Miller IV to be outdoors, even briefly, Kellam felt. A 2-year-old Accomack County child died earlier this winter of influenza, and the 18-year-old wasn't taking any chances.

But when the three ladies returned three hours later from games and a spaghetti dinner at their church's Family Fun Night, Winston Miller III met them at the door, holding his son, who Kellam said "wasn't breathing right."

An ambulance was called and the child later was airlifted from Shore Memorial Hospital in Nassawadox to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where he died Wednesday.

The same day, his 22-year-old father, also of Onancock, was charged with second-degree murder and is being held in Accomack County Jail with bond denied. An arraignment has not been scheduled.

Kellam is at a loss to explain it.

"I don't really know what happened," she said Monday at the Onancock apartment she shares with her grandmother, Peggy Ann Pettit.

Accomack County Sheriff Robert Crockett, who announced the charge Monday, said a sheriff's department investigator responded to the Norfolk hospital and was told that the child has suffered "catastrophic injuries to the brain."

Crockett said an extensive investigation implicated Miller in the death of his son but did not release further details about the case.

Miller also is facing a charge of grand larceny for allegedly taking money from a follow employees' wallet at the Wendy's restaurant on U.S. Route 13 in Onley where he worked, court records show.

Miller had been living at times with Kellam as the day of the child's birth approached, she said.

This week, Kellam and her family were wondering how they were going to pay for funeral services for Miller, who was born Jan. 27 at Shore Memorial.

"I loved that baby so much," said Kellam, who had been attending Nandua High School before she stopped attending classes to have the baby. "I got attached to him so fast."

Originally published Wednesday, March 8, 2006