NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — Editor's Note: The mother of the man who is charged contacted 10News and said her son is innocent. The story has been updated to include comments she made during a phone interview with 10News.
A New Port Richey man is accused of shaking a young baby and "causing abusive head trauma" leading to the child's death, the Pasco County Sheriff's Office claims.
On Sept. 21, deputies say they found the 45-day-old boy in his crib, unresponsive and bleeding from his nose. Emergency crews pronounced the infant dead around 4 a.m.
According to a sheriff's office report, a doctor determined the baby suffered "abusive head trauma" usually caused by "violent shaking."
Based on interviews, investigators claim Luis Angel Matos, 24, was the only person in the home caring for the infant at the time.
"The defendant acted out in a video reenactment how he willfully and intentionally caused the abusive head trauma that lead to his death," the arrest report said.
The arrest report claims after the baby "defecated" on him, Matos picked up the infant and pressed his thumbs deeply into the boy's chest as he shook the child for about 10 seconds before placing the baby back in the crib.
Matos went back to sleep but was awoken later by the baby making "upchuck" noises and breathing sporadically, according to law enforcement. The arrest report claims Matos looked at the infant from his position in bed but didn't check on the child because he knew the "erratic breath was due to what he did to him."
Detectives claim Matos then woke up just before 4 a.m. to find the baby not breathing and cold to the touch.
The arrest report says Matos woke up his wife to let her know. While she was on the phone with 911 and trying CPR to save the baby, the arrest report claims Matos "went into the bathroom to comb his hair before Fire Rescue arrived."
Matos' mom, Angelita, contacted 10News by phone on Friday. She says her son is innocent.
"My son did not kill his son," Angelita said.
According to Angelita, Matos took the blame because detectives were repeatedly asking him questions, and he wanted the questioning to stop.
“My son told me that he took the blame because they’re not going to leave him alone," Angelita said.
She added: "They didn't even give my son time to grieve."
Angelita described the baby as a happy child.
”My grandbaby was a happy baby. A very happy baby. And very alert. And, my son took very good care of his son," she explained.
Matos is charged with murder/homicide, according to the arrest affidavit.
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