A two-year-old boy died after suffering a subdural hemorrhage and blunt traumatic head injury in Barangay Tisa, Cebu City, on September 16, 2026.
The boy’s 22-year-old mother, identified by police as “Tin,” found him unresponsive in their rented room on Santan Street at around 3 a.m. after returning from work. She initially thought her son was asleep but became alarmed when he did not respond or appear to be breathing.
The mother rushed the child to Cebu City Medical Center, where he was declared dead on arrival.
Police said the boy had bruises on several parts of his body. His mother told investigators that she had previously noticed bruises and that her 37-year-old live-in partner, identified as “Lyle,” had described them as the result of disciplining the child and biting him.
Tin had left her son in Lyle’s care while she went to work on the night of September 15. Police said Lyle later sent her a message apologising and expressing his love, prompting her to become concerned when she returned home and found the child alone.
Lyle was arrested by officers from the Labangon Police Station at around 9:30 p.m. on September 16 in Sitio Nazareth, Barangay Buhisan. He denied beating the child or intentionally causing his death.
According to Lyle’s account, the boy had already been unwell, with vomiting and diarrhea, after allegedly being caught in the rain. He said the child’s condition worsened during the early hours of September 16, when he noticed frothing around the boy’s mouth and difficulty breathing.
Lyle said he attempted to help the child before leaving the room after the boy stopped breathing. He told investigators that he panicked and was afraid to tell the child’s mother what had happened.
The death certificate listed subdural hemorrhage and blunt traumatic head injury as the cause of death. Police, however, said they are awaiting the results of a formal autopsy to determine the full extent and circumstances of the child’s injuries.
Police are preparing a murder complaint against Lyle. Authorities continue to investigate how the child sustained the injuries and whether there were other forms of abuse.
The suspect remains in police custody while investigators await the autopsy findings and gather additional evidence.
