Two parents from Florida find themselves in custody due to alleged abuse that resulted in the tragic death of one infant girl and severe injuries to another. The Cocoa Police Department is handling the case.
Quentin Smith and Hannah Jones face charges of aggravated child abuse and child neglect with great bodily harm. Additionally, Jones is charged with domestic violence battery, while Smith faces a failure to report charge. The victims in this case were 3-month-old twins, as reported by Orlando CBS affiliate WKMG. Further charges are anticipated in this ongoing investigation, as per WKMG.
According to a probable cause arrest affidavit examined by Law&Crime, officers responded to a home regarding an unresponsive infant around 11 a.m. on Thursday. Tragically, the child was taken to the hospital but could not be revived. Disturbing photographs revealed multiple circular bruises on the infant's face, head, and body, as well as bruises on the upper back and left rib area, along with swelling on the left arm.
The surviving twin also displayed visible injuries to her face and head, including a significant bite mark near her buttocks, according to the affidavit.
Both parents were brought to the Cocoa Police Department for questioning. Jones initially claimed that both she and Smith woke up and took a shower. After their shower, she discovered one of the infants unresponsive and lying on her stomach, as per the affidavit.
Jones initially suggested that the baby girls would frequently hit their heads against the bassinet's lining. However, she later admitted that Smith had used his hands to "squeeze together" the children's faces when attempting to feed them. She also stated that Smith had bitten the children and had once picked up the deceased infant by the arm, potentially causing the swelling. Although Jones acknowledged being aware of the injuries, she confessed to not reporting them to a doctor or law enforcement.
During an interview with detectives, Smith recounted waking up, feeding the children, and placing them in the bassinet. He then took a shower and left to get some rice after Jones dropped her cellphone in the water. Smith heard Jones call for assistance, reporting that one of the twins was unresponsive. They administered CPR until paramedics arrived. Smith admitted to biting the infant multiple times, resulting in the bruises when investigators inquired about the girl's injuries.
He also stated that Jones had asked him to stop biting both victims, but he continued to do so. The last time he had bitten the infants was approximately a week prior. Smith additionally revealed that on the morning of September 29, he woke up feeling frustrated and yanked the victim by the shoulder before placing her on the bed. He also admitted to shaking the baby "a few months ago" to quiet her.
Mr. Smith informed detectives that Ms. Jones, on numerous occasions over the last two months, had grabbed both victims by the leg in a careless and unsafe manner, holding them upside down and seemingly dangling them, as stated in the affidavit.
Both Smith and Jones are presently incarcerated without bond."
Comments
Post a Comment