A Compton man who allegedly beat his girlfriend’s 13-month-old son last month was charged with murder Wednesday after the boy died, authorities said.
Rodrigo Hernandez, 23, was originally charged with attempted murder and assault, but his alleged victim died June 26, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
On Tuesday, prosecutors dismissed those charges and instead filed one count each of murder and assault on a child causing death. Hernandez pleaded not guilty and his bail was set at $2.03 million.
On June 7, Hernandez was watching the boy while the child’s mother was in another room in her apartment, according to the DA’s office. Soon after, family members told the mother that her son was acting strangely.
When the mother went to the toddler, he began to have seizures and then bruises began to show up on his body, according to prosecutors.
The boy was taken to a hospital in extremely critical condition by responding paramedics, and he remained hospitalized until he died Friday.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigators, who responded to the home in the 14900 block of South Atlantic Avenue in unincorporated East Compton, said Hernandez admitted striking the boy.
The mother has three other children, daughters between 5 and 9, a sheriff’s lieutenant said last month.
Hernandez faces life in state prison if convicted as charged.
He was due to return to court in Compton on July 22.
