Man Admits Shaking Baby in Fatal Manchester Case: Documents

A man charged in connection with the death of a 5-month-old baby boy he was babysitting in Manchester admits to shaking the infant, according to arrest documents.

Police officers and paramedics responded to an apartment on Channing Drive in the Squire Village Complex around 9 p.m. on Sunday when they received a medical call for a choking infant, Manchester Police said.

Joshua Maldonado, 23, is accused of killing the 5-month-old and he turned himself in to police on Wednesday. 

The child died at Manchester Memorial Hospital and the autopsy revealed that the baby died from a blunt trauma to the head and the death was ruled a homicide, police said.

After changing his story several times, according to the police affadavit, Maldonado admitted to becoming "annoyed" when the crying baby woke him up from a nap and then shaking the infant, but said it was not on purpose. 

Police said Maldonado is not related to the infant and family members said he and the child's mother were dating and he'd babysat before.

"I know my son is innocent. I just feel sorry for him and the baby's family," Maldonado's mother told NBC Connecticut.

Maldonado, of Hartford, has been charged with first-degree manslaughter, first-degree assault and risk of injury to a minor.

His bond was initially set at $350,000, but was raised to $4000,000.

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