Investigators seeking murder charge for baby's death: cops

Crest Hill police investigators are looking to upgrade criminal charges against a father accused of inflicting head trauma to his infant daughter, who later died, a deputy police chief said.

Crest Hill Deputy Police Chief Anthony Rossetti said his department is still investigating the death of Kora Middono, the 10-week-old daughter of Jonathan R. Middono, who has been charged with two counts of aggravated battery to a child charge and one count of domestic battery.

Each count alleges Middono, 29, “inflicted head trauma” to Kora last Sunday, according to a criminal complaint. His most serious charge is the first count of aggravated battery to a child, a Class X felony that is punishable by six to 30 years in prison.

Rossetti said detectives have not spoken with Middono yet but they are looking to upgrade the charges against him to murder. He declined to elaborate further on why the investigators are seeking a murder charge.

When asked if the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office will upgrade the charge to murder, spokeswoman Carole Cheney would say only that the investigation is ongoing.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Kora died from blunt force head injuries and considered her death a homicide.

Kora was taken to Morris Hospital for her injuries. She was flown from Morris Hospital to Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, where she was later pronounced dead at close to 1 p.m. Monday.

Channahon Deputy Chief Adam Bogart said his department initially investigated Kora’s death because they were requested to respond by Morris Hospital staff. The staff agreed that Kora suffered “significant injuries to her head consistent with blunt force trauma,” police said.

Bogart said Crest Hill police took over the investigation after it was determined she suffered her injuries there.

Rossetti said police believe Kora was injured at the 2109 Plainfield Road Crest Hill Inn and her mother, Amber Perry, was not present at the time.

Bogart confirmed that Middono claimed to Channahon police investigators that Kora was injured because he collapsed on her due to his heart condition.

Perry woke up Sunday and went to work, leaving Kora in the care of Middono, according to an online fundraiser created to help Perry cope with Kora’s death. When Perry returned home and went to check on Kora, she “knew something was terribly wrong,” the site says.

“Her motherly instinct took over and without thinking, put her in her car seat and took her to Morris Hospital,” according to the fundraiser site.

The fundraiser said Kora died Monday “in the arms of her mother.”

Channahon police said Kora was initially living with Middono and Perry at the Manor Motel in Channahon before the family moved to the Crest Hill Inn on May 30.

Middono has been at the Will County jail since Monday. He’s being held on a $2 million bond.