Orlando Father Charged with First-Degree Murder in Death of Infant Daughter
A 20-year-old Orlando man, Darius Stephone Nichols, has been charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse in the tragic death of his 3-month-old daughter, Nova.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Nichols initially told deputies that Nova had fallen from a couch and became unresponsive on April 30. However, the results of an autopsy revealed a far more disturbing picture: Nova had multiple skull fractures and rib injuries, some of which were healing from earlier trauma.
In a social media statement, the sheriff’s office said Nova “suffered horrific abuse and trauma.” Nichols was taken into custody and booked into the Orange County Jail on Monday.
This heartbreaking case remains under investigation, as the community mourns the loss of a child whose life was taken far too soon.
