Today in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Marlon Melendez was sentenced to life in prison plus an additional 60 years for the murder of his girlfriend’s 16-month-old son.
Melendez, 30, of Washington, D.C., was previously convicted by a jury on charges of first-degree child abuse resulting in death, second-degree murder, first-degree child abuse, and second-degree child abuse. The jury returned its verdict on February 6, 2025.
On Saturday, March 11, 2023, the victim’s mother called 911 because the child was not breathing. He was pronounced dead at the hospital and an autopsy revealed signs of child abuse. An investigation by detectives with Montgomery County Police revealed the defendant had been abusing the child. The victim had previously sustained serious bodily injuries including a fractured femur. Surveillance video recorded on March 9, 2023, from a restaurant located in the 8000 block of Piney Branch Road in Silver Spring, showed the defendant pull the victim’s hair and repeatedly scratch and dig into the victim’s temple. The defendant squeezed a lemon in the child’s face and put lemon juice on his finger, then rubbed his finger into the child’s eye. This activity occurred when the child’s mother had briefly left their dining table. The victim appeared to cry and be in distress every time Melendez touched him.
“This is an outrageously sad case involving the loss of a one-year-old baby. We express our deepest condolences to the victim’s family. We are thankful to Montgomery County Police for their thorough investigation and to our prosecution team for their pursuit of justice on behalf of this innocent child,” said State’s Attorney John McCarthy in February.
