Metro police Youth Services detectives arrested and charged Jacob Scott Hughes in the death of his girlfriend’s 17-month-old daughter.
Hughes, 22, faces charges of murder and aggravated child abuse. He was arrested in a Nashville courtroom Thursday morning while appearing on a domestic assault warrant issued last month.
Police allege that Hughes was responsible for severe head injuries and bruises to the body of Eloise Costanza. According to police, Hughes was caring for the baby girl on Sunday, July 8, while his girlfriend was at work. Hughes contacted his girlfriend through Facebook and informed her that Eloise was having difficulty breathing.
The mother called 9-1-1 as she headed to her Spring Creek Drive home. Paramedics called police after arriving and finding the young child bruised and unresponsive.
At Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital Costanza was diagnosed as being the victim of abusive head trauma. She died the next day. Police claim Hughes told detectives the child’s injuries were due to a fall.
Following an autopsy, the medical examiner ruled Costanza’s death a homicide.
According to police, Hughes was in court Thursday on a domestic assault warrant accusing him of hitting his girlfriend on June 3. That case was continued.