JACKSON COUNTY — A 28-year-old Chicago man was recently arrested in connection with the February 2021 murder of his infant child in Carbondale.

Carbondale Police say, with the assistance of the Illinois Appellate Prosecutor’s Office, on Wednesday, Feb. 7, an arrest warrant was issued for Melvin Daniels for First-degree Murder. Daniels is the biological father of the victim.

On Tuesday, Feb. 13, Daniels was arrested by the U.S. Marshal Service in Chicago. Daniels was extradited from Cook County to Jackson County and has since had his pre-trial detention hearing. He was released from custody on pre-trial conditions.

On Feb. 28, 2021, Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis contacted the Carbondale Police Department regarding an injured infant they were treating. The child had been transferred to their hospital from Memorial Hospital of Carbondale that same day.

The infant was treated for what were described as severe life-threatening injuries child and died as a result of those injuries.

Carbondale Police initiated an immediate investigation upon receiving the notification from Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. The investigation has been ongoing since the notification.