A 24-year-old father from Fostoria, Ohio, has been arrested and charged with the murder of his four-month-old son after police determined the infant’s death was the result of abuse. Authorities released the chilling 911 call made by the father, Joseph Bonito, as investigators continue to piece together what happened inside the family’s mobile home.
In the call, placed on Tuesday morning, Bonito sounded panicked as he told dispatchers that his baby was unresponsive. “My baby is not responding. He’s white, and I don’t know what’s wrong,” Bonito said. When asked for his address, he added, “I went to take a nap. I went to get him up, and he just wasn’t responding.”
Emergency responders arrived at the home on North Countyline Street just before noon and immediately began life-saving efforts, but the infant could not be revived. Officers at the scene quickly became suspicious after noticing possible signs of injury, according to the ABC report.
“There were some suspected possible injuries at the time that EMS had noticed and pointed out to some of our guys,” said Fostoria Police Chief Gabe Wedge. Following questioning, police said Bonito confessed to harming his son. “Did he admit to abusing the infant yesterday?” asked reporter Alexis Means. Chief Wedge confirmed, “Correct, in an interview.
It sounds like it was a shaking baby-type incident with possibly some squeezing of the baby.” Authorities revealed that the child’s mother was at work at the time of the incident. Investigators also said this was not the first time the infant had been abused, though they did not provide further details.
Bonito has been charged with murder and child endangerment and is currently being held as the investigation continues. The case has drawn attention to the dangers of shaken baby syndrome and the stresses that can lead to such tragedies.
Wood County Children Services, while unable to comment on the specifics of the case, urged struggling parents to seek help before frustration leads to violence. “I don’t think anybody sets out to intentionally want to hurt their child, but just when you have a baby constantly crying and out of frustration, things sometimes get the best of people,” said Brandy Laux of the agency. “Call a family member. Call a friend.
Look for a neighbor. See if anybody can watch the baby for 15 minutes while you take a deep breath outside.” Wood County Children’s Services offers a 24-hour hotline for parents in crisis. Officials hope awareness and intervention can prevent more heartbreaking incidents like the one that claimed this infant’s life.