Alleged illegal migrant dad accused of beating baby to death: ‘He did not respect or want that baby’

A young father allegedly in the U.S. illegally is in custody and accused of beating his 2-month-old daughter to death.

Marlon Rabanales-Pretzantzin, 20, was arrested Wednesday and charged with second-degree murder in the death of his infant daughter, according to the Nassau County Police Department.

According to detectives, officers responded to an Inwood home for a report of a choking 2-month-old girl, identified as Liseyda Rabanales Barrios, just after 10:30 a.m. March 7.

The victim was transported to a hospital and later transferred to a different hospital, where she died.

Rabanales-Pretzantzin is originally from Guatemala and entered the United States at the border in El Paso, Texas, according to Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder. (Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder added that Rabanales-Pretzantzin is originally from Guatemala and entered the United States at the border in El Paso, Texas.

“As he came in, catch and release took his information and let him into America,” Ryder said. “The individual will answer to his crimes here in Nassau County. After he’s done with his sentencing, then there will be a determination of deportation or being held here. But there will be an immediate detainer put on him once he walks into the Nassau County Jail so he will never be released from our jails.”

Fox News Digital reached out to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for comment but did not immediately receive a response. 

Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com