NSA Analyst Accused in Beating Death of 3-Year-old Adopted Son

Brian O'Callaghan

DAMASCUS, Md. - Montgomery County police say a Damascus man has been charged in the death of his 3-year-old son.

Police announced Tuesday that 36-year-old Brian O'Callaghan, an NSA analyst and former combat Marine, has been charged with first-degree murder and child abuse resulting in the death of his adopted son, Hyunsu, earlier this month.

It is alleged that sometime between January 31 and February 2 in the family’s Damascus home, O’Callaghan beat to the death the three-year-old boy he and his wife adopted from Korea jus three months earlier.

"The injuries to this child were catastrophic injuries," said State's Attorney John McCarthy. "I think the evidence supports the charges that were brought."

Investigators were called to Children's National Medical Center in Washington on February 2, and police say they learned that the boy's injuries, including trauma to the brain, indicated he had been beaten. 

The boy died the next day and police say an autopsy determined the manner of death was homicide by multiple blunt impact injuries.

Court documents reveal the injuries to the little boy included a fractured skill, which a medical examiner claims could not have come from a fall as O’Callaghan said was the cause to police.

After a judge order, O’Callaghan was held without bond as his wife, parents, and in-laws left the courthouse without comment. His defense attorney, however, refutes the charges:

"When all the evidence is presented in this case, we're all gonna know the truth, which is this was a terrible terrible tragedy and not a crime," said Steve McCool.

The lawyer also called O’Callaghan a hero, showing a photo in a book about Iraq which he said shows him surrounded by happy children in Baghdad. He claims O’Callaghan even helped free Private Jessica Lynch from captivitiy.

But State's Attorney John McCarthy responded:

"Sadly, I often stand here when good people have done terrible things."