A 25-year-old south suburban man is now facing murder charges after his daughter died from injuries he allegedly inflicted on her nearly three years ago when the infant would not stop crying.
Jesus Tejeda was already facing attempted murder in connection with the Dec. 27, 2013 incident in Harvey.
Prosecutors upgraded the charges to murder after the July 21 death of Sofia Tejeda.
Tejeda admitted in a videotaped statement to police that he shook the then 3-month-old Sofia for several minutes because she would not stop crying, causing her unsupported head to move back and forth, said Elena Gottreich, an assistant Cook County state’s attorney.
Tejeda admitted that he put the baby down after shaking her, saw that she wasn’t moving or breathing, picked her up and shook her again in attempts to wake her, Gottreich said.
Tejeda had been alone with his daughter while the infant’s mother was at work that winter day three years ago, Gottreich said. Before the mother left the home in the 100 block of West 154th Street in Harvey that morning, the baby was acting normal and had no visible injuries, Gottreich said.
Tejeda called his wife later that morning and told her that the baby was unresponsive, Gottreich said. Sofia’s mother told Tejeda to dial 911.
The baby was transported to University of Illinois Chicago Hospital, where she was diagnosed with old and new subdural hematoma and brain swelling.
Doctors determined the child suffered acute brain injury no more than one to two hours prior to her becoming unresponsive, Gottreich said. Doctors said that the injuries were not accidental.
Tejeda allegedly admitted to police that he had shaken the baby when she cried in the past, without supporting her head.
Judge Maria Kuriakos Ciesil ordered Tejeda held in lieu of $1 million on Thursday.
