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A tragedy has struck a family in South Florida: a father of Cuban descent was arrested after killing his two-year-old daughter in a house in Pembroke Pines, in Broward County, this Tuesday.
Jerónimo Anthony Durán, 33 years old, is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse in connection with the murder of the young Melody A. R. D.
The Pembroke Pines police reported that officers and firefighters responded to a residence located at 404 Southwest 177th Avenue at 9:42 a.m. this Tuesday, alerted to a "domestic incident," and found the girl injured.
"Paramedics and police entered the house, found the girl with a neck injury, and immediately began to provide medical assistance. The minor was transported to Memorial Regional Hospital, but unfortunately she died despite all efforts to save her life," said Captain Adam Feiner.
At a press conference this Wednesday, Sergeant Jason Palant described the incident as “very tragic” and stated, “Our hearts are with the victim's family, and at this time, we are solely focused on bringing justice to their family.”
Palant explained that the girl had a laceration on her throat, and investigators found a knife that they believe was used in the crime. However, he added that the coroner will determine the official cause of her death.
Authorities reported that the father and mother of the minor shared custody of the girl, and on Tuesday morning, he picked her up and took her to his home. It is alleged that Durán's grandmother arrived at the house just as the man was attacking his daughter and called the police.
"According to the information we have so far, she arrived at the residence and saw the suspect on top of the two-year-old girl and noticed that the little girl seemed to be not breathing, at which point she called 911," Palant specified.
The suspect was arrested at the house and confined in the main jail of Broward County, where they remain without bail.
Authorities stated that they have not yet identified a motive that drove him to injure his daughter. "He was questioned by detectives, and through his statement, he helped establish the probable cause for his arrest; however, we do not have a motive at this time," Palant indicated.
Court documents cited by NBC6 News indicate that Durán was engaged in a custody battle with his daughter's mother, during which he admitted to having mental health issues.
The response to a custody petition filed by Durán in 2023 states that "the father suffers from a mental illness that includes paranoia and issues with anger (such as hitting the wall). He also experiences anxiety."
The report states that his behavior is "erratic, aggressive, violent, and a danger to both the mother and the child," and additionally, it claims that the man had "suicidal thoughts" and had stopped taking his medication.
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