Milwaukee death of 14-month-old; father of child accused, on the run

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Demetrius Hubanks

MILWAUKEE - A 28-year-old Milwaukee man is accused in the death of his own son, just 14 months old. The accused is Demetrius Hubanks – who faces a charge of neglecting a child-consequence is death. However, Hubanks is not in police custody.

Investigation into infant's death

What we know:

According to the criminal complaint, Milwaukee firefighters and paramedics responded on Thursday, Aug. 7 to a residence on W. Villard Avenue just west of N. 76th Street. A 14-month-old child at the location was reported to be unresponsive and not breathing.

When first responders arrived on the scene, two rounds of epinephrine were administered on the child, court filings say. Emergency crews were able to regain a faint pulse and took the child to Children's Wisconsin.

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When the 14-month-old arrived at Children's Wisconsin, he remained unresponsive. A CT exam showed diffuse swelling of the child's brain - and the child "exhibited no response to painful stimuli," the complaint says. The child also "had evidence of multi-organ injury," the complaint says. A drug urine screen was performed and was "presumptively positive for fentanyl," court filings go on to say. 

Interview with child's mother

What they're saying:

Investigators spoke to the child's mother. She said the child had been left in the care of the defendant, the child's father, and that the child "was in good health." That morning, the mother told police she received a phone call from the defendant's mother "who reported that the defendant called her and reported that (the child) was not breathing," the complaint says. The mother denied there were any drugs in the home.

On Aug. 9 and Aug. 14, doctors performed a brain examination on the child. The results were consistent with brain death. The child was pronounced deceased on Aug. 14.

Defendant's admission

What they're saying:

In an interview with police on Aug. 10, the defendant "admitted to possessing two fake Percocet pills the defendant believed contained fentanyl," the complaint says. The defendant said he had been sleeping at the same time as the child, and when he woke up, he "observed the two fake Percocet pills on the floor. One of the two pills appeared to be crushed and broken up," the complaint says. The defendant told investigators he "picked up both pills prior to the first responders arriving on scene and threw both pills into the backyard," the complaint says.

Hubanks "admitted that he is responsible" for the child's death, the complaint says.

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Again, while Hubanks is charged in this case, online court records show there is a warrant for his arrest; he is not in police custody.