Boy's death not scooter related; man under investigation for alleged beating

SAN FRANCISCO - A three-year-old boy originally thought to have died Wednesday from scooter injuries was actually killed by another person, a coroner's report revealed.

Police announced Sunday that Patrick Goodman, 26, the boyfriend of the boy's mother, was arrested in connection with the Elija Sanderson's death.

Sanderson's mother had told police the three-year-old repeatedly fell from a scooter while playing with his brothers and sisters Tuesday. The next morning Sanderson claimed she found Elija in bed, lying unconscious in a pool of vomit.

At that time police said their were no indications of negligence or foul play, according to Lt. Judie Pursell.

But the medical examiner's report completed over the weekend ruled Elija's death a homicide, and the investigation began to focus on those around him.

The report and the continuing investigation into the boy's death ruled out the reported scooter falls as the cause of death, police said.