A 20-year-old Nassau County man has been indicted on murder charges for allegedly shaking his infant daughter so violently as she cried last month that she hemorrhaged and died, prosecutors say.
According to the indictment, Rabanales Pretzantzin was home alone with his 2-month-old daughter, Liseyda Rabanales-Barrios, and 14-month-old son around 11 a.m. on March 7. The littlest one was crying.
Prosecutors allege Rabanales Pretzantzin slapped the 2-month-old in the face, punched her in the stomach repeatedly and picked her up and shook her violently. He then allegedly dropped her onto the bed, while he was standing, and pressed his body weight into the child, pinning her down.
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WATCH HEREThe child became unresponsive, and the father took her to a neighbor's apartment, prosecutors said. The neighbor called 911.
Liseyda was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Prosecutors say she suffered contusions to the head, several rib fractures, severe hemorrhaging in her neck area and two dislocated vertebrae.
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SIGN UP Rabales Pretzantzin was arrested five days later.
Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly condemned the allegations.
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“This defendant, tired of his 2-month-old daughter’s crying, allegedly beat and shook her so violently that he caused severe hemorrhaging and dislocated the vertebrae in the child’s neck, killing her,” Donnelly said. “Recognizing that his daughter was unresponsive after the attack, the defendant asked a neighbor to call emergency services and allegedly told police the child had rolled from his arms and accidentally fell to the floor. Little Liseyda’s injuries, however, told a different tragic and cruel story, and Marlon Rabanales Pretzantzin will now be prosecuted and held accountable for his revolting violence.”
“Parenting can become overwhelming at times,” she added. “I urge anyone who feels themselves losing control when dealing with their child to stop, put the child down safely in a crib, and leave the room until they calm down. Using rough treatment or violence towards an infant is never an option.”
Rabales Pretzantzin was remanded after his grand jury arraignment on second-degree murder charges Thursday. He is due back in court next month and faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted.
Rabales Pretzantzin is represented by Legal Aid, which typically doesn't comment on active cases.
