Teen Dad In Minooka Killed 3-Week-Old Baby Boy: Police

MINOOKA, IL - An 18-year-old dad is accused of killing his infant boy on Friday, Minooka police said. Police Chief Justin Meyer told Patch that Nicholas Fecarota confessed to throwing his 3-week-old baby multiple times after the baby would not stop crying. Fecarota is charged with first-degree murder.

The incident happened at an apartment in the 100 block of Aux Sable Drive where Fecarota lived, Meyer said. Officers were sent to the apartment around 12:30 p.m. Friday for a baby who was not breathing. The baby was rushed by ambulance to the Morris Hospital. The baby died about an hour later, the chief said.

Minooka Police and the Will/Grundy County Major Crimes Task Force began investigating Friday's case after medical officials suspected the boy had suffered a skull fracture.

Meyer told Patch the baby's teenage father was interviewed by police on Friday afternoon and told the police he threw his son numerous times because the child would not stop crying.

Fecarota is now in custody at the Grundy County Jail in Morris.

Meyer said this is the first child homicide Minooka Police have investigated during Meyer's 15-year career at the department and 18 years overall in law enforcement.

"I want to send my condolences to the family of the victim and all that were involved in investigating this tragic event," Meyer said. "As soon we heard about the trauma, we activated the crime task force as soon as possible. I would like to thank (Joliet Police Department Captain) Rich Demick and members of the Will-Grundy task force for getting the task force together so quickly, for a quick solution to this tragic event."

Mugshot of Nicholas Fecarota via police