U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has filed a formal request with local Florida authorities to take custody of Samuel Antonio Maldonado-Erazo, a 28-year-old Honduran national charged with aggravated manslaughter.
The charges stem from the March 4 death of his three-year-old nephew, a U.S. citizen, following what investigators described as a pattern of severe physical abuse.
The investigation began after emergency responders were called to a report of a child in cardiac arrest. The boy was transported to a local hospital, where he later died.
Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons detailed a harrowing list of injuries discovered by medical professionals, stating the child suffered at least 17 strikes to the head, extensive bruising, and intentional burns.
The medical report further noted a broken collarbone, several broken ribs—one of which was entirely detached from the spine—and a transected pancreas caused by blunt force trauma. According to local reports, Maldonado-Erazo had taken the child to work with him on the day of the incident and allegedly ignored visible signs that the toddler was in extreme medical distress.
Records indicate that Maldonado-Erazo has a history of immigration violations. He first entered the U.S. illegally in August 2021 and was immediately removed. He returned to the country illegally in November 2021, at which point he was released into the interior of the United States.
Although an immigration judge issued a final order of removal against him in May 2023, he remained in the country.
The federal detainer, lodged on March 5 following the suspect’s arrest, asks local law enforcement to notify ICE before releasing Maldonado-Erazo so he can be taken into federal custody for deportation proceedings.
Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis addressed the case in a statement, saying, “This crime is absolutely sickening and underscores the importance of local authorities working with ICE to remove dangerous criminal illegal aliens from American communities. The Biden administration should have never released this monster into our communities.”
Maldonado-Erazo remains in local custody pending the outcome of the manslaughter charges.
READ: Indiana Man Jailed After Living In Florida Home Uninvited For Days
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