A North Miami man accused of beating of his infant son was charged with attempted first-degree murder on Wednesday.
Yosi Mahlab, 30, appeared before a Miami-Dade judge Wednesday to face additional charges of first-degree attempted murder and two counts of child neglect causing great harm in the beating of his 4-month-old son on Jan. 21.
Mahlab is being held without bond.
In court, Mahlab said: "I did not beat my child. I smacked my child and he fell."
Authorities arrested Mahlab last week on aggravated child abuse charges after police say he called 911 to report the young child unconscious, according to an arrest affidavit.
According to the affidavit, Mahlab waited 30 minutes before he called 911, "which resulted in the victim's injuries becoming more severe."
Mahlab admitted to police that he hit the baby twice in the face, and that the baby then slipped off his lap and hit his head on a nightstand, the affidavit said.
X-ray results at Jackson Memorial Hospital revealed that the baby sustained a skull fracture, bleeding in the brain, subdural bleeding and retinal hemorrhaging, according to the report.
According to the report, Mahlab waited until Jan. 26 to tell police how the baby was injured.
Police say the boy doesn't have any brain activity and is on life support.
