On Wednesday a Union County Grand Jury indicted an Elizabeth man on charges he assaulted his infant son, announced Acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park.
Brandon Matos (DOB 9/3/1987) was arrested on January 21, 2013 after EMS was called to the defendant’s house on reports that the five-month-old child had stopped breathing. The infant was taken to Trinitas Medical Center and quickly transferred to Newark Beth Israel Hospital where doctors discovered a number of injuries consistent with non-accidental abusive head trauma, said Park.
Following an investigation by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit and Detective Vito Colacitti, Matos was indicted on charges of 2nd Degree aggravated assault for recklessly causing serious bodily injury and 2ndDegree child endangerment for inflicting unnecessary physical pain, said Park. Matos is currently being held in the Union County Jail on $75,000 bail. Assistant Prosecutor John Esmerado will prosecute the case.
“It is unacceptable for anyone to attack a defenseless infant, especially a parent,” said Prosecutor Park. “Protection of the innocent and defenseless is a core mission of both the criminal justice system and our office.”
These criminal charges are mere accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.