A Rockford man remains behind bars this week after the death of his 7-month-old son led to charges of first-degree murder. Jaden Hearns, 27, was denied release during a Tuesday court hearing following an investigation into what authorities describe as a fatal case of blunt force trauma.
The incident began Sunday morning when police responded to a call regarding an unresponsive infant at a home in Rockford, Illinois. Though the baby was rushed to a nearby hospital, medical staff were unable to save him, and he was pronounced dead later that day.
According to court documents obtained by WIFR, the injuries discovered by medical professionals were extensive. The 7-month-old was diagnosed with two separate skull fractures, multiple broken ribs, and a fractured femur.
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While Hearns was the only person home with the child at the time, investigators noted that his account of the morning’s events shifted several times during questioning.
Initially, Hearns told officers he had no idea how the injuries occurred. Later, he reportedly told police he was playing video games around 3:45 a.m. when he heard the baby cry. When pressed for specifics, court filings indicate Hearns claimed to have a “bad memory” and a poor sense of time.
The case has also drawn attention to Hearns’ legal history. At the time of the infant’s death, Hearns was out on pretrial release for a separate domestic battery case. In that instance, he was accused of strangling the baby’s mother while she was pregnant. A November 2025 court order had explicitly forbidden him from having contact with her. However, records show that while the two did not live together, the mother frequently stayed overnight at Hearns’ residence. She was not present when the infant was injured.
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Further complicating the investigation, surveillance footage from inside the home allegedly showed Hearns carrying a firearm. During a subsequent search of the property, police recovered a rifle and ammunition.
During the Tuesday hearing, a judge ruled that Hearns had violated the conditions of his previous release and ordered him to stay in the Winnebago County Jail. In addition to the murder charge, he faces counts of aggravated domestic battery and aggravated battery against a child. He is scheduled to return to court on May 27.
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