Father Arrested in 5-Month-Old's Abuse, Murder

GERMANTOWN, MD — A Germantown father is in jail, accused of second-degree murder for allegedly covering his 5-month-old son's mouth and violently shaking the infant when he wouldn't stop crying, according to Montgomery County Police.

Detectives have charged Austin Ahimbisibwe, 22, of the 19500 block of Crystal Rock Drive in Germantown, with the June 23 murder of his infant son. According to a police report, Ahimbisibwe called 911 to report that he was performing CPR on his 5-month-old son, Hudson Ahimbisibwe, who was not breathing. Montgomery County Fire and Rescue personnel took the baby to Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where he was pronounced dead.

On June 24, an autopsy was performed by the District of Columbia’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The medical examiner ruled on Oct. 9 that Hudson’s death a homicide caused by head, neck, and upper body trauma.

Investigators say that Hudson’s mother and Ahimbisibwe did not live together and that on the day he died, the boy’s mother left him in the care of his father at his home while she was at work. The baby’s mother told police that Hudson was in good health when she left him in Ahimbisibwe’s care.

When police questioned Ahimbisibwe on Oct. 14, he reportedly said that he became frustrated when the infant would not stop crying, grabbed the baby by the neck and face, covered Hudson’s mouth with his hand, and shook the child in an effort to stop his crying.

Ahimbisibwe was arrested and taken to the Central Processing Unit, where he was charged with second-degree murder and first-degree child abuse, resulting in death. Amimbisibwe is currently being held on a $2.5 million bond.

»Photo of murder suspect Austin Ahimbisibwe, courtesy of Montgomery County Police