A 27-year-old Florida man faces aggravated manslaughter charges after authorities linked him to the fatal injuries of his 5-week-old daughter. The infant died in December 2024 following severe trauma, including broken ribs from extreme force. Sheriff Mike Chitwood emphasized that the arrest speaks for the child's life, which mattered.
Dajuan Patrick was arrested in Jacksonville on a Volusia County warrant for the death of his daughter, Dahlia Siebenhaar. The 5-week-old was admitted to a hospital on December 2, 2024, after being found unresponsive. Medical records and an autopsy revealed extensive head trauma, broken ribs, bruising across her body, and retinal hemorrhages, consistent with being shaken and held with extreme force.
She was placed on life support but did not regain consciousness. On December 12, 2024, life support was withdrawn, and Dahlia passed away. Over a year later, in March 2026, investigators determined Patrick was responsible. Interviews with individuals familiar with the family's situation indicated that Patrick had been known to shake and spank the newborn.
Patrick, 27, remains in custody with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office without bond. He is expected to face the aggravated manslaughter of a child charge in Volusia County. Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood stated in a press release, "The arrest in this case won't bring Dahlia back or give her the childhood she deserved, but today we're speaking up for her, because her life mattered."
The case highlights the tragic circumstances surrounding the infant's short life in Florida.