Nieves Acosta-Maldonado
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A man is facing charges after his 8-month-old baby died from nonaccidental head trauma, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
On May 3, officers responded to a home on Kirt Court near Pondella Drive in northeast Charlotte to assist Medic with a call for service. According to the affidavit, the baby, Ethan Acosta-Palos, went unresponsive after being fed a bottle of milk.
The child was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. While at the hospital, police said the baby had subdural hematomas and retinal hemorrhages.
Ethan died on May 6. The Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner’s Officer said the cause of death is from complications of bilateral subdural hematomas and abusive trauma to the head.
Detectives began an investigation and on May 13, identified the child’s father, 27-year-old Nieves Acosta-Maldonado, as a suspect.
According to the affidavit, Acosta-Maldonado told detectives that on May 3, Ethan was fussy and sick, and that he picked him up and forcefully put him back in his crib three times. He also told detectives he picked up the baby and shook him for 10-15 seconds to get him to stop crying.
Based on the evidence from the investigation, police arrested Acosta-Maldonado and charged him with murder and child abuse.
