Father arrested for beating infant nearly to death

LOS ANGELES -- An infant boy is near death after his father allegedly beat, strangled and tried to drown him, stopping only when officers burst in on him at a Los Angeles apartment, Eyewitness News has learned.

The suspect was identified as the boy's father, Michael Freeman, 29, who recently got out of prison in Tennessee.

Police allege Freeman punched, strangled, slammed and tried to drown his 9-month-old son. Officers got into the apartment as the alleged assault was happening.

The child was transported to a local hospital and was considered in critical condition.

Police were called to the scene by the child's mother early Thursday.

She reported that Freeman had threatened her and their 7-year-old son and then grabbed their baby and fled.

He then went to a nearby vacant apartment where he tried to kill the child, police allege. Officers used a Taser multiple times to get him to stop the attack.

Freeman was arrested and booked early Thursday and was being held on $1 million bail.