PALM HARBOR, Fla. — A 5-month-old boy who suffered a traumatic brain injury allegedly at the hands of his mother Thursday has died.
And now, she is facing a stiffer penalty.
Detectives say the child, Mason Marquez, was taken off life support at St. Joseph's Hospital and was pronounced dead at about 1:45 p.m. Monday. An autopsy will be conducted by the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's Office.
During an interview, detectives say mother Burgandie Marquez, 30, gave contradictory statements about how her son was injured.
Detectives claim Marquez finally admitted that on Thursday, she got mad during a phone conversation with the child’s father and intentionally jerked the child up from the ground twice, causing the child’s head to snap back.
According to law enforcement, Marquez also said she placed the child underneath her arm and ran up and down the stairs allowing the child’s head to bounce up and down without support. Detectives say Marquez admitted to them that she knew she had been too rough with the child.
Marquez originally was charged with aggravated child abuse with great bodily injury. It since has been upgraded to one count of first-degree murder.
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