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Florida Couple Arrested After 7-Week-Old Dies; Medical Examiner Cites 'Violent Shaking' Head Trauma

Florida Couple Arrested After 7-Week-Old Dies; Medical Examiner Cites 'Violent Shaking' Head Trauma
Robert Lee Ingram Jr; Gracie Jai TellezCredit: Broward Sheriff's Office

Florida authorities have arrested Robert Lee Ingram Jr., 22, and Gracie Jai Tellez, 20, after their 7-week-old daughter died from blunt head trauma consistent with "violent shaking." The infant was found unresponsive on Oct. 14, 2025, declared brain dead on Oct. 18 and later removed from life support. The Broward County Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide, and investigators say the parents provided inconsistent statements and falsely claimed they were monitoring the baby by FaceTime. The couple faces charges including aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect.

Florida authorities have arrested and charged a young couple after their 7-week-old daughter died from blunt head trauma consistent with "violent shaking," according to investigators.

Arrests and Charges

Robert Lee Ingram Jr., 22, and Gracie Jai Tellez, 20, were taken into custody by U.S. Marshals in Jacksonville on Aug. 7 following an investigation by the Hollywood Police Department. Both face counts of aggravated manslaughter of a child and neglect of a child causing great bodily harm, permanent disability or permanent disfigurement.

Florida Couple Arrested After 7-Week-Old Dies; Medical Examiner Cites 'Violent Shaking' Head Trauma
Gracie Jai TellezCredit: Broward Sheriff's Office

Incident and Medical Findings

Emergency responders were dispatched to the couple's home on Oct. 14, 2025, after Tellez called 911 to report that the infant was "cold, pale and unresponsive." Officers and paramedics performed CPR at the scene and rushed the baby to Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital, where she was placed on life support.

Four days later, on Oct. 18, the child was declared brain dead and was subsequently removed from life support. The Broward County Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be complications of blunt head trauma and ruled the death a homicide.

Florida Couple Arrested After 7-Week-Old Dies; Medical Examiner Cites 'Violent Shaking' Head Trauma
Robert Lee Ingram Jr.Credit: Broward Sheriff's Office

Investigation Details

According to an arrest warrant issued July 27, investigators say the parents initially told officers the baby had been fed a bottle and placed in her bassinet for a nap before she was found unresponsive. The warrant alleges the couple provided false statements that they were monitoring the infant via FaceTime when they were actually playing video games and watching YouTube—actions described by authorities as an "attempt to conceal the true circumstances" surrounding the injuries.

"The types of injuries the victim suffered are caused by a violent impact and repeated acceleration/deceleration of the victim's head/neck (i.e., violent shaking)," police said. "Neither parent could provide any reasonable explanation for how the victim suffered her injuries."

Police further said Ingram and Tellez gave inconsistent accounts of the hours leading up to the infant being found unresponsive and that both failed to provide proper care and supervision essential to the child's well-being. The parents are being held without bond in separate Broward County jails pending prosecution.

Resources

If you suspect child abuse, contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) or visit www.childhelp.org. Calls are toll-free, confidential, and the hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

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