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Father Formally Charged In Death Of Baby Girl

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- The state attorney's office formally charged a South Florida father in the death of his 4-month old baby girl named Harlow.

Juan Gonzalez was formally charged with second degree murder Tuesday, according to our news partners at the Miami Herald.

The charge is expected to be upgraded to first-degree murder once prosecutors present the case to a grand jury. If this does happen, Gonzalez may face the death penalty.

Miami-Dade Police arrested Gonzalez, 24, back in March.

Juan Antonio Gonzalez / Baby Death
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, 24, was arrested in the death of his 4-month old baby girl named Harlow. (Source: Miami-Dade Police Dept.)

According to his police report, Harlow's mother found the baby unresponsive on March 22nd and rushed her to the hospital where she was pronounced dead three days later.

An autopsy showed Harlow died as a result of various injuries including multiple skull fractures, severe brain injuries, fractured arm and leg, a dislocated elbow and multiple fracture ribs.

The report stated Gonzalez confessed to intentionally causing harm to his baby girl. The father allegedly told detectives he was upset because the child was fussy. He had previously entered a not guilty plea.

Records show Gonzalez had been arrested before for charges including battery on a pregnant woman, false imprisonment and strong-arm robbery.

Gonzalez was in the news in a different light last October.

He spoke on camera with CBS4 after a fire was set at a halfway house where he was a facility caretaker.

At the time Gonzalez said, "I saw smoke coming through the roof and I started running across the house telling everybody to get out, get out, get out."

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