In a deeply troubling case emerging from Illinois, a man faces serious allegations after his 2-month-old son was found with life-threatening injuries, including brain hemorrhaging and multiple fractures.

The accused, 20-year-old Jaravion Nichols, is charged with aggravated battery to a child, as confirmed by the City of Peoria Police Department. The charges follow a grim investigation into the infant’s severe injuries.

Nichols was formally indicted on Tuesday and is currently being held in the Peoria County Jail without the option of bail, highlighting the gravity of the charges against him.

The incident came to light on December 12, 2025, when Peoria police were alerted to a local hospital at approximately 5 p.m. This followed the discovery of the critically injured child, who had been left at the hospital by an unidentified car passenger. Initial assessments by medical staff revealed the infant had suffered severe head trauma.

Further medical examinations uncovered the full extent of the child’s injuries. The Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office reported that the infant was suffering from multiple brain bleeds, bleeding within the eyes, brain swelling, and fractures to the ribs and leg, painting a horrific picture of the alleged abuse.

Detectives began to investigate what led to the baby’s injuries after medical professionals told authorities “the trauma to the baby did not appear accidental in nature.” Multiple people “who had contact with the baby leading up to his injuries” were interviewed, according to police, but their answers resulted in “no feasible explanation for the trauma consistent with medical findings.”

Officers continued to investigate, and after speaking with family members of the child, “investigators learned that the defendant was the sole person caring for the baby during the time the injuries occurred.”

With such information, investigators now had their suspect, and police located Nichols in the 2000 block of Northeast Jefferson Avenue in the city, and he was detained and interviewed.

On Tuesday, a grand jury indicted the defendant on the aggravated battery to a child charge, and he was subsequently arrested. As of Wednesday, the investigation was said to be ongoing.

Nichols is expected to be arraigned on Feb. 5.