Dad in "custody battle" with mom charged with attempted 1st-degree murder of 4-month-old twin daughter (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)

We reported on this case just recently. It seems that dad EDUARDO KYLE HERODIAS was in a "custody battle" with the mother of their twin 4-month-old daughters (read: abusive dad battling mother for custody in order to control/punish her, and/or reduce or eliminate child support). Both infants were staying with Dad in his home when it appears they were violently shaken--one died at the hospital while the other started to have seizures when taken by CPS. The second baby is now in intensive care. Dad has been charged with attempted first-degree murder for injuries sustained by the second baby, and is being "investigated" in the death of the first.

And remind us again why babies and young children need to "visit" with their fathers, when those same fathers have no loving relationship to the mother? They don't. Especially vulnerable premature infants who had just been removed from their heart monitors. A red flag should automatically go up whenever a father is "battling" the mother for custody of infants--chances are from good to excellent that his motives are less than pure. Leave babies with their mothers. Period.

http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=12449024

Family grieves loss of baby while hoping other infant survives
Posted: May 07, 2010 7:24 PM CDT
Updated: May 07, 2010 7:57 PM CDT

By Tyana Williams - bio email

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - A Baton Rouge family is grieving the loss of one baby and hoping their other child will make it out of intensive care.

Livingston deputies arrested Eduardo Kyle Herodias, 20, the father of a set of four-month old twins, on Thursday afternoon and charged him with attempted first degree murder.

This is a difficult one for deputies and for the family who said the parents were involved in a custody battle.

The twins were the joy of the family. They were full of life and starting to show personality at four months old. Mentioning the twins' names, Kaylynn and Kayla, now just brings tears.

"What do you see to make you want to hurt a four month old baby? What are you looking at to hurt a four month old baby? It's just a little bitty baby," said Freda Mills who is the aunt of the twins' mother.

Livingston deputies said the girls were at a house off Juban Road, with their father, when a 911 call was made Thursday morning.

Baby Kaylynn was taken to the hospital where she died. Child Protective Services were called to take baby Kayla.

"While they were leaving with the child, the child began to have a seizure," said Jason Ard with the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office.

"Kaylynn is passed away, and Kayla is in intensive care," said Mills.

Mills said she was at the hospital with their mother when she found out about her babies.

Doctors told the sheriff's department they found blood in Kayla's brain which they said is a symptom of shaken baby syndrome.

So far Herodias has been charged with attempted first degree murder of Kayla, the baby fighting for her life in intensive care. Deputies are waiting for an autopsy report on Kaylynn.

Freda Mills said she does not think Herodias did this.

"I don't know who did it, but I don't think he's responsible," she said.

Deputies also told WAFB 9News that the girls were premature. Family members said they were taken off heart monitors just this week.

The sheriff's department said they believe based on the father's story they have charged Herodias appropriately so far.

He is being held in the Livingston Parish prison on a $300,000 bond.