JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man is charged with child neglect and murder after police determined that an injury that led to his 4-month-old son's death was intentional.
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, police were called to Wolfson Children's Hospital on Oct. 29 by doctors treating Gabriel Crystalus. The child had a head injury that police say could not have been caused by an accident.
The child's father, 35-year-old Donald James Crystalus, initially told police the child slipped while bathing, but when interviewed again, officers said he confessed that he got angry and intentionally hurt his son.
JSO said what apparently set Crystalus off was that Gabriel wouldn't stop crying.
Crystalus was charged on Monday and booked into the Duval County jail and is being held without bond. He has a court date scheduled for Dec. 3.
John Harrell, spokesman for the Department of Children and Families, said the family's other child, a 2-year-old, was also in the home when Gabriel was injured.
"We are urging all parents to understand that children this young are fragile," Harrell said. "You can never take it out on your children if you're feeling stressed or angry. You're talking about children under the age of 2. There are so many more child deaths under that age because they are so fragile."