Investigators in Florida have arrested a father for allegedly “viciously” beating his 4-month-old daughter to death, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.
The suspect, 22-year-old Jacob Kubai, allegedly took the life of his daughter Willow, whom he also called “Strawberry,” according to a Polk County Sheriff’s Office press conference.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in the press conference that Kubai told investigators that he had driven his wife to work and then went home with the baby, played video games, did some shopping and then fed the child. (RELATED: Father Allegedly Helped Son ‘Stage” Crime Scene After 18-Month-Old Baby Was Fatally Shot)
Bartow man accused of ‘viciously’ beating 4-month-old daughter to death: ‘He showed zero remorse’ https://t.co/1l1OWS65Vr
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The Sheriff said that Kubai claimed he checked on the baby every 10 minutes, adding, “We thought that was a little strange … at 7:50 he fed the baby, checked on her at 8 o’clock, checked on her at 8:10 p.m., he checked on her and found the baby unresponsive.”
After Kubai reportedly took the unresponsive baby to Bartow Regional Hospital, Bartow Police were called in since the baby had arrived in cardiac arrest with no brain activity and numerous physical injuries, FOX35 reported. Police said hospital emergency room staff were able to stabilize the baby girl before she was air-lifted to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, where it was determined that the baby had suffered multiple impact bruises to the head, according to the outlet.
The baby survived for two days, Sheriff Judd said, despite suffering “10 different strikes” to the forehead and “10 broken ribs that they said would have been from a squeezing of the child.”
Judd added that “the significant skull fracture to the back of the head, the medical examiner said that would have been from striking a hard object. The baby was literally beaten to death. The only person at home at the time was Jacob.”
Judd, who noted that Kubai does not have a mental illness nor criminal history, said, “Occasionally you will see people, based upon the extent of this injury. You wonder why God allows them to breathe air. Here’s one that I wonder why God allows him to breathe air.”
Police have charged Kubai with aggravated manslaughter of a child, aggravated child abuse and two counts of knowingly abusing a child without bodily harm, according to FOX35.
The case is currently under investigation, FOX35 reported.