A Queens father accused of causing trauma to his infant son that resulted in the boy's death was indicted by a grand jury on Thursday, prosecutors said.
Luis Sanchez was charged with manslaughter in the second degree and endangering the welfare of a child, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. The 30-year-old's son, Mason, was just 7 weeks old when first responders found his unresponsive body inside the family's Woodhaven apartment in August 2019.
The boy's lips were blue and he wasn't breathing, officials said. He was rushed to the hospital where he died three days later.
Doctors later found that Mason's died from abusive head trauma. An autopsy showed that he had several rib fractures that were sustained over a period of time, as well as extensive retinal and subdural hemorrhages.
Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York newsletters.
“A baby was left in his father’s care, where he should have been safe from harm. Instead, the baby died of injuries consistent with abusive head trauma caused by violent repetitive shaking, and the defendant is in custody facing serious criminal charges," Katz said in a news release Thursday.
If convicted, Sanchez faces up to 15 years in prison. He's due back in court on Aug 2.
