A Pompano Beach man has been charged with murder in the death of his young son, who died from his injuries three years after the father shook him to stop him from crying, authorities said Thursday.
Paul Day, 41, is in custody in connection with the Dec. 15, 2012 death of his son Anibus Day, the Broward Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Back on June 11, 2009 the then-5-month-old baby sustained injuries consistent with shaken baby syndrome, according to the BSO. Authorities responded to 4331 NW 19th Terrace in Oakland Park for a report of a baby not breathing, and Anibus was taken to Holy Cross Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale.
His father admitted that he shook the baby to stop him from crying, the BSO said. He was initially arrested on charges of aggravated child abuse and child neglect, the BSO added.
BSO Detective Mike Vadnal said Day described hurting the child during some sort of spiritual practice.
"On the date that the actual incident happened the baby was crying, he was involved in one of his cleansings or rituals, he became frustrated and began to violently shake the baby, which caused the injuries," Vadnal said.
The baby also had on leg fractures which he received when his father dropped him while doing a ritual or cleansing, according to Vadnal.
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Anibus never regained consciousness and was placed in a Pompano Beach children’s care facility. He was found unresponsive on Dec. 15 and died that evening, the BSO said.
The Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office said that he died from complications from a non-accidental closed head injury and ruled his death a homicide.
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Day was arrested on the murder charge Wednesday and was ordered held without bond in court. It was not immediately known whether he has an attorney.
A man who claims to be a voodoo priest came to the door when NBC 6 went to Paul Day's home Thursday. The man, a family friend who did not want to appear on camera, said that Day was renting a room at the home.
“I don’t do rituals with babies, we don’t do rituals with babies. So I don’t know how the baby got implicated in the ritual," he said.
Asked if Day is a voodoo priest as well, the friend replied, “I think he does Santeria. That's not the same thing.”
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Photo Credit: Broward Sheriff's Office