As much as we don't want to think about it, domestic violence happens every day. Many of these crimes are, unthinkably, committed against children. And some of them result in the tragic deaths of young kids and infants.
An Indiana father is facing serious charges and the possibility of decades in prison after his alleged actions. Eliasard Moneus was recently arrested and charged with multiple counts of battery, attempted murder, and murder. The incident happened after he allegedly attacked his wife and their 3-month-old son was found asphyxiated inside a bucket.
More from CafeMom: Amazon Driver Allegedly Hit Mom & 4-Month-Old Baby in Horrific Hit-and-Run Accident
On August 10, police issued a Silver Alert for a missing 3-month-old in Lafayette, Indiana.
On August 10, the Lafayette Police Department in Illinois issued a Silver Alert for a 3-month-old baby boy named Jacob Moneus. The infant was thought to have been abducted and was in "extreme danger and may require medical assistance." The following morning, the department canceled the alert and announced the baby boy's body had been found.
So, what happened?
Allegedly, Moneus beat Jacob's mother with a 'tire iron or wrench multiple times.'
In a probable cause affidavit obtained by People, Moneus' wife alleged that she was sitting at home with baby Jacob when Moneus entered the apartment, took Jacob, and left. When Moneus returned to the room 30 minutes later, he allegedly started hitting her with a "tire iron or wrench multiple times." The mother did not know where Moneus took their son.
After Moneus' wife drove herself to a hospital and was diagnosed with a skull fracture, she told police that she and Moneus had a fight and did not speak for five days before the alleged attack.
Police discovered Jacob's body in a 'bucket of dark liquid.'
Police issued the Silver Alert after speaking with Moneus' wife. Ultimately, they located Moneus at an apartment in Lawrence, Indiana, where he was arrested for the alleged domestic incident involving his wife. The suspect told police he "wished his wife would have died from her injuries," per People, but claimed he did not know where Jacob was.
At roughly 5 a.m. on August 11, police searched the Lafayette apartment where the alleged attack took place when an officer discovered the 3-month-old's body in a bucket of dark liquid next to a garbage can. The infant's preliminary cause of death was listed as asphyxia, per a Tippecanoe County Coroner's Office news release.
More from CafeMom: Colorado Mom Sentenced After Strangling Newborn While Husband Went to the Bathroom
Now, Moneus faces multiple felony charges.
Tippecanoe County Jail records indicate that Moneus was initially booked on several charges, including domestic battery resulting in serious bodily injury, domestic battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery, and attempted murder. Additionally, he was charged with criminal confinement and murder.
On August 15, Moneus made an initial appearance in court, during which the judge entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf because of a language barrier, the Lafayette Journal & Courier reported.
He could face decades in prison if convicted.
If convicted of murder, Moneus could spend 45 to 60 years in prison, the Lafayette Journal & Courier reported. He also faces 20 to 40 years if convicted of attempted murder, according to the publication. Moneus' jury trial is set to start on January 21, 2025.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of domestic abuse, you can find help and support at DVIS.org, the National Domestic Abuse Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or by contacting your local women's shelter domesticshelters.org.
