A Fort Myers man has been charged with aggravated child abuse and child neglect causing great harm after officials say he slammed a baby into its car seat with enough force to cause bleeding on the brain and a skull fracture.
The investigation revealed that the infant had been crying and James Joseph Tolentino, 22, of 3762 Central Avenue D, used “extreme force” and slammed the baby into the car seat out of frustration, officials said.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office Child Abuse Investigation Unit was notified by staff at Gulf Coast Hospital today of a baby in the emergency room with a fractured skull. Detectives assigned to the case learned from hospital staff that the baby was suffering from bleeding on both sides of the brain.
The infant, whose age has not been released, was flown to All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg due to the severity of the injuries. His condition is unknown at this time, officials said.
Tolentino has been transported to the Lee County Jail for booking. A records check also revealed an out of county warrant from New Jersey for failure to appear, officials said.

Source: Lee County Sheriff’s Office