Cambria County, Pa. (WJAC) — A Texas man is charged with capital murder for killing an infant whose mourning family is from our area.
Ahren Joshua DeHart was just one year old when he was killed last week.
6 News spoke with Brandon DeHart, baby Ahren's father.
"I would never expect anything like this to happen," he told us.
Brandon is a graduate of Conemaugh Valley High School and moved to El Paso, TX to serve in the military.
That's where he met 24-year-old Marvin Lake.
"He came to the hospital when my wife was in labor. When I first got to El Paso, he actually picked me up from the airport," Brandon said.
Last week, he said Lake babysat Ahren at his El Paso home.
According to an affidavit from the El Paso Police Department, that's when Lake conducted several wrestling moves with the baby, and at one point, the child slipped from his hand and hit the frame of a futon.
The affidavit also said Lake grabbed the baby in a 'football hold' tightly after getting upset at the child for ripping a pillow, telling police he had anger issues and "did not realize his own strength."
Brandon said his wife picked baby Ahren up that night.
"When she picked him up, she said that he was limp, his eyes were rolling in the back of his head, and his breathing was very irregular," Brandon said.
Two other children were babysat by Lake that day, who police say were also found with injuries.
She called 911, and Ahren was transported to the hospital.
Tests revealed brain damage, a skull fracture, and bruising before being put on life support.
"Once he was pronounced brain dead was when they took him off life support. He got to pass in me and my wife's arms," Brandon said.
El Paso police say Ahren's cause of death was ruled a homicide, and Lake was charged with capital murder.
"What kind of monster is okay with taking a little boy away from his family?" Brandon said.
Brandon said his trust in a family friend has been betrayed in a way he never thought possible.
"It's not like he was just some random babysitter that we found. We knew him. Something like this is never going to truly heal. The pain is always going to be there," Brandon said.
According to a Public Information Office in El Paso, "Lake was taken into custody and booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility for Capital Murder. He was issued no bond and remains incarcerated."
"Crime Against Children continues their investigation into the condition of the other infant and toddler who were also found to have injuries," their PIO wrote.
A "Go Fund Me" was organized for the family.
Here's the link if you'd like to help.
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