Family talks about homicide investigation of 11-month-old baby

JACKSONVILLE, ONSLOW COUNTY - The family of an 11-month-old baby, whose death is being investigated as a homicide, talked to NewsChannel 12 about the loss. Police said the boy's father, who killed himself, is being investigated as a person of interest in this case.

"He was absolutely the light of my life," said Naomi Game of her nephew, Aidyn, the baby who died. "He was the happiest baby I ever met in my life. There was nothing bad about him; he was perfect."

On Tuesday, just before 3 p.m., Jacksonville Police received a call about 11-month-old Aidyn not breathing at a home in the 300 block of Banks Street.

There was a foreign object lodged in the baby's throat and blocking his airway, investigators said. They have not explained what that object was. Officers performed CPR on Aidyn, who was then taken to Onslow Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Police say Aidyn's father, Camp Lejeune Cpl. Rodney Burton, is a person of interest in the baby's death. According to investigators, Burton was visiting a friend in Trent Woods Wednesday afternoon. After leaving the friend's home, Burton pulled into an unoccupied house's driveway, where police say he shot and killed himself inside his truck.

According to family, Aidyn's mother is too traumatized to talk about what happened.

"She's doing the best that she can for his sake and trying to make sure he gets everything he deserves," Game said. "It's by far the hardest thing we've ever been through."

The restaurant where the baby's mother used to work, Kettle Diner on S. Marine Blvd. in Jacksonville, is taking donations for the baby's funeral.

Contributions can also be made to PNC Bank. Contact PNC Bank for more information.