Two Florida parents are facing child abuse charges after one of their 3-month-old twins died Thursday and the other child was found with “severe injuries,” police said.
Quentin Smith, 23, is charged with aggravated child abuse, child neglect with great bodily injury, and domestic battery, the Cocoa Police Department said. Hannah Jones, 18, faces charges of aggravated child abuse, child neglect with great bodily injury, and failure to report incident to law enforcement.
Police officers responded to a home on N. Fiske Boulevard after receiving 911 calls about an unresponsive child. Attempts to revive the child failed, police said.
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“Detectives responded and began the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the child’s death and severe injuries to the twin sibling,” a police statement said.
Investigators found probable cause to arrest the pair after interviews with multiple witnesses and gathering physical evidence from the home.
In police interviews, Smith admitted to biting both children on multiple occasions, Fox Orlando reported. He also allegedly admitted to previously “yanking” on one of the children’s arms, and shaking one to get them to be quiet.
Jones told investigators she knew about Smith’s behavior but failed to report him to law enforcement, the news outlet said, citing a police report.
The couple is likely to face additional charges, police said.
