GAITHERSBURG, Md. - Investigators in Montgomery County, Maryland said they finally solved the mystery of what happened to a baby boy. It's taken months, but on Thursday, his father was charged with child abuse and murder.
A judge ordered the 22-year-old dad held on $2.5 million bail.
Little Hudson Ahimbisibwe's mom wept softly Monday afternoon in the courtroom.
“I miss my son terribly. I ache for him every second of the day," she said. "And I love him with all my heart."
Detectives said the baby's father has confessed to grabbing the baby in his apartment and holding his hand over his mouth.
Austin Ahimbisibwe called 911 back in June, just hours after Lauren Felitti dropped her little boy off to see his dad.
Paramedics found 5-month-old Hudson unconscious, with trauma to his head, neck and torso.
It took investigators almost four months to put together what happened. And when police interrogated the father this week, they said he admitted he was frustrated when Hudson wouldn't stop crying.
He told them he grabbed him by the neck and face and covered his mouth with his hand to try and quiet him. And that the 5-month-old blacked out.
Neighbors said they knew him as a proud father.
“I can't believe it. I'm in shock,” Marc Sherman said. “He was my neighbor for at least a year. He was a very nice guy. He came over and wanted me to meet his baby.”
Prosecutors said Ahimbisibwe and Felitti shared custody of the baby boy.
Her Facebook page is loaded with memories of him. She had dropped Hudson off so his father could care for him while she went to work.
If convicted of murder and child abuse, the father could face as much as 70 years in prison.
“Hitting your child, shaking them, trying to quiet them down with some sort of violence is not the answer,” said Ramon Korionoff with the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office.
“Reach out to friends, family, neighbors to learn how to care for a crying child,” he said.
Advocates urged parents to never, ever discipline your child when your anger is out of control and suggested parenting classes. And if you feel like you're overwhelmed, turn to someone you know and trust for a break.
