Aldan man charged with killing boy, 4

Four-year-old Zander Grogan was shaken so violently, the vertebrae in his neck dislocated.

Stephen Fischere, 26, of Aldan, was charged yesterday with murder and endangering the welfare of a child in connection with Zander's death. Fischere, the boyfriend of the child's mother, also was charged separately with drug possession and intent to deliver after police found heroin and prescription drugs at the couple's home.

Zander died Tuesday of multiple blunt force trauma and neck injuries that were consistent with being "violently shaken," said G. Michael Green, Delaware County District Attorney. He said the medical examiner's office was still investigating the death.

Fischere picked up Zander and his 3-month-old son, Xavier, from a babysitter around 5 p.m. Tuesday after work, according to court documents. The three went to their apartment in the 100 block of West Maryland Avenue in Aldan, and played.

Fischere told police that he gave Zander a doughnut and was getting ready to leave the apartment. He said he believed Zander tripped on the straps of a child-car seat outside their apartment, fell down the stairs, and stopped breathing. Fischere said he began giving the boy mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and took him to a neighbor, who called police.

Zander was taken to Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in Darby, where he was pronounced dead that evening.

Fischere denied hurting the child, according to the affidavit. He was arraigned yesterday, and bail was denied.

The child's mother, Barbara Grogan, 21, was at work at the time of the incident, the district attorney's office said. Xavier Fischere was not injured and is in the custody of an aunt, the office said.

Green said police had not been called to that home before Tuesday.

Fischere, according to court records, has a criminal history that includes receiving stolen property in 2003. In 2005, he pleaded guilty to dealing drugs.