Florida woman charged in beating death of 3-month-old baby boy

CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — A Florida woman is behind bars in connection with the beating death of a baby boy, authorities said.

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According to WTVT and the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, deputies arrested Jessica Figueroa, 36, of Merritt Island, on aggravated child abuse and child neglect charges Sept. 28 after authorities found 3-month-old David Figueroa-Philip unresponsive but breathing. Figueroa was later charged with aggravated manslaughter after the child, who suffered a swollen head and face as well as multiple bruises, died from his injuries on Oct. 2, the Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post Friday.

Authorities said Figueroa “admitted to striking the infant numerous times” the weekend before he was hospitalized, “causing the injuries doctors determined to be abusive in nature,” the post read.

“As I said in Figueroa’s initial arrest, it is never easy for our office to work cases of this nature,” Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast said in a statement. “It becomes even more challenging when the precious child our detectives work so diligently to help passes. May this child rest in peace and may the judge presiding over this case show no mercy toward Figueroa and the brutal harm she inflicted upon this defenseless victim.”

Figueroa is being held in the Citrus County Detention Center, deputies said.

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