Hamilton dad admits killing his 8-month-old son

Charlie Lackner.

A Hamilton man has admitted the murder of his 8-month-old son.

Charlie Lackner, 33, made a brief appearance in the High Court at Hamilton this morning where he changed his plea to guilty.

Lackner had been fighting the charge since his arrest for the murder of his 8-month-old son, Cassius Takiari, who died in Auckland's Starship Hospital on June 16, last year.

Cassius had been hospitalised with critical head injuries.

Lackner's lawyer, Charles Bean, confirmed this morning that his client had pleaded guilty and will be sentenced in April.

Police initially charged Lackner with assaulting the child, following an incident at their house on June 15.

The baby boy, a twin, was admitted to Waikato Hospital that day with head injuries but was later moved to Starship Children's Hospital and died the following night.