BARTOW, Fla. (WFLA) — A Bartow man who investigators said “viciously murdered” his 4-month-old baby will be spending the next 30 years in prison.
Jacob Kubai, aged 23, received a sentence last month following his guilty plea to a charge of aggravated manslaughter of a child in January, according to the State Attorney’s Office.
The incident dates back to February 23, 2024, when Kubai’s 4-month-old daughter, affectionately called “Strawberry,” was brought to Bartow Regional Medical Center with no signs of brain activity and numerous injuries.
Investigators revealed that Kubai transported his daughter to the hospital, stating that the infant appeared to be fine until he unexpectedly discovered her unresponsive after feeding and placing her on her stomach.
An autopsy revealed the infant suffered 10 rib fractures, multiple blunt force trauma strikes to the front of her head, and a swollen and hemorrhaged spine.
The medical examiner said the fractured ribs were likely from the girl being squeezed, and that she was struck in the head a minimum of 10 times.
“The baby was literally beaten to death,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told reporters during a press conference in March.
Officials said the baby died two days after being taken to the hospital.
According to investigators, Kubai was the girl’s primary caregiver, as her mother was working two jobs at the time. The mother told detectives her baby didn’t have any bruising before she left for work that day.
Detectives continued to find cracks in Kubai’s story after he told them he had taken the infant to Walmart earlier on Feb. 23, 2024, but she was never seen on any surveillance video from the store.
In an interview afterward, Kubai told investigators, “None of this real,” referring to his family. Detectives said he didn’t show any remorse or even shed a tear.
