READING, Pa. – A man who formerly lived in Reading is facing murder charges after authorities say he caused the 2021 death of a toddler in his care. 

On January 28, 2021, officers with the Reading Police Department were dispatched to the 400 block Schuylkill Avenue for a report of a 3-year-old male in respiratory distress.

The child was transported to Reading Hospital where he was pronounced dead later that night.

Reading Police detectives initiated an investigation and subsequently learned the victim was in the sole care of his mother’s partner, 23-year-old Elijah Matias, just prior to the 911 call being placed.

An autopsy conducted on the boy revealed he suffered multiple internal and external injuries that were in various stages of healing.

The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma resulting in lacerations to the victim’s liver, mesentery and pancreas that were caused by punching, squeezing or both. Investigators say pathologists also discovered a large, adult-sized bite mark on the child’s forearm.

Based upon the findings, the child’s death was ruled a homicide.

Reading Police Department conducted numerous interviews with members of the victim’s immediate and extended family, as well as with those familiar with the victim. Despite their continued efforts, authorities say no arrests were made in the investigation.

In April of 2024, as part of Berks County District Attorney John Adams’ Cold Case Initiative, the Reading Police Department and the Berks County Detectives began to work together in an effort to solve the case. 

As part of the joint investigation, detectives began to methodically re-examine the existing medical records relating to the various injuries and physical abuse sustained by the victim over the hours, days and weeks leading up to his death.

Investigators soon learned the victim’s fatal injuries were inflicted just hours prior to his death, and that the boy was under the sole care and supervision of Matias in the hours before he died.

Matias was taken into custody Thursday at his current residence in Cogan Station, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania by members of the United States Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force.

The defendant was returned to Berks County to be arraigned on charges of first and third-degree murder, aggravated assault and related offenses.

Matias was denied bail and committed to Berks County Jail.

He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 25.