Wisconsin – A Wisconsin man and his parent, 21-year-old Ja mes and 48-year-old David, were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the death of the younger man’s two‑year‑old child. The 21-year-old man faces charges expected to include first‑degree reckIess homicide, while his parent is expected to be charged with aiding and harboring a feIon and obstructing an investigation.
Last month, Wisconsin authorities responded to a report of a child with serious injuries at the family’s home. The boy, later identified as Le0, was rushed to a local hospital and then airlifted to Children’s Wisconsin. He died two days later from injuries that authorities describe as suspicious.
When the victim’s mother returned from an errand, she found her former partner, the child’s father, performing CPR on the child. The defendant reportedly told her, and later investigators, that the victim had fallen down a flight of stairs while under the supervision of his father. He even urged her to tell police that his parent was watching the boy that night.
Autopsy results, however, showed the 2-year-old’s cause of death was due to an acute incident rather than injuries consistent with a fall. Prosecutors say the nature of the injuries indicates a sudden, violent event that likely could only have occurred at the hands of the person who had the child at the time. The claim that the child fell down stairs is not consistent with medical findings.
According to court documents and prosecutors, the defendant then contacted his father, asking for help. Authorities say the defendant’s father drove him to a relative’s cabin, where they fled and barricaded themselves for 20 to 25 minutes when law enforcement arrived. A SWAT team eventually forced their surrender using a flash‑bang device.
In the probable cause hearing, the defendant’s father claimed he was not present that evening, saying he went elsewhere to find his own son, who was suicidal, and that he did not know about any arrest warrant for him. The 21-year-old man called the allegations lies. Both men appeared without attorneys and disputed factual assertions in the documents .
Court records also show the 21-year-old has ongoing legal issues, including several domestic‑abuse–related charges and bail‑jumping counts. One of those cases involves the victim’s mother. A no‑contact order was in place between the defendant and her.
At the bond hearing, District Attorney LemkuiI stated that medical experts concluded the victim’s death was inconsistent with a fall and seemed to be caused by a sudden, instantaneous event. She asserted that the person caring for the child at the time, the victim’s dad, was the only one who could have inflicted the injuries.
As the investigation continues, prosecutors will work through evidence including medical testimony, forensic analysis, witness statements, and digital communications. They will determine formal charges based on these findings. Investigators emphasize that false claims—such as a fall—must be thoroughly vetted alongside physical evidence to ensure justice for the victim.
