LEE COUNTY, Fla. (WINK) — A Lee County man was arrested after investigators said a 9-day-old infant suffered severe injuries consistent with being violently shaken.
According to a Facebook post from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a local children’s hospital Saturday, Oct. 31, following a report of possible child abuse involving the infant.
The Sheriff’s Office said deputies learned the infant was experiencing severe difficulty breathing and was partially unresponsive.
Due to the severity of the infant’s condition, detectives with the Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit took over the investigation.
According to LCSO, medical personnel determined the infant suffered significant trauma consistent with violent shaking.
Following the investigation, detectives established probable cause to arrest Noah Lils Alcantara on an aggravated child abuse charge, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno condemned the alleged abuse in a statement released by the agency.
“There is no excuse for what this man did to a nine-day-old infant,” Marceno said.
“I am incredibly proud of the work our Special Victims Unit detectives do to protect the most vulnerable members of our community. In this case, their swift response and diligent investigative work led to a quick arrest,” Marceno said.
“These cases are heartbreaking, but I want our community to know that our detectives take them seriously and work tirelessly to hold those responsible accountable and seek justice for those who cannot protect themselves,” Marceno said.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the infant remained hospitalized in critical but stable condition.
The agency did not specify the infant’s relationship to Alcantara or provide additional details about the circumstances surrounding the alleged abuse.