A 10-month-old baby boy has died after sustaining severe injuries in a Pittsburgh home, allegedly at the hands of his mother’s boyfriend, Dominic Pinnick. The incident, which occurred on Friday, July 18, 2025, has left the community in shock and mourning.
According to Pittsburgh police, 18-year-old Dominic Pinnick was babysitting the infant in a residence on the 7100 block of Kedron Street in Homewood when the tragedy unfolded. Pinnick initially reported to authorities that the baby had fallen from a bed, prompting a 911 call around 4:18 p.m. First responders arrived to find the child unresponsive, not breathing on his own, and experiencing multiple seizures. The infant was immediately transported to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh for emergency treatment.
Medical professionals at the hospital determined that the baby’s injuries were far more severe than those typically caused by a fall. The child suffered a large skull fracture, multiple retinal hemorrhages indicative of violent shaking, subdural hematomas, and brain swelling. Additional injuries included multiple impact strikes to the chest, a possible arm fracture, and visible bruising. Doctors performed emergency surgery to remove part of the baby’s skull in an attempt to alleviate the swelling, but the infant showed no signs of brain activity and was not expected to survive.
In a police interview on Saturday, July 19, Pinnick admitted to becoming frustrated when the baby would not stop crying. He confessed to striking the child’s head three or four times against the wooden canopy bedposts in the bedroom, aggressively rocking the infant, and roughly rubbing the back of his head. Pinnick stated that when he noticed the baby had become limp and was staring into space, he sought help and used someone else’s phone to call 911.
On Sunday, July 20, Pinnick was arrested and charged with attempted homicide, three counts of aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, and recklessly endangering another person. He was arraigned and denied bail due to the severity of the charges and concerns that he posed a flight risk. Pinnick is currently being held at the Allegheny County Jail, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for August 1, 2025.
Tragically, Pittsburgh police confirmed on Monday, July 21, that the 10-month-old had passed away at the hospital. Authorities have indicated that Pinnick’s charges will be upgraded to homicide following the child’s death, pending the completion of an autopsy by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office, which will release the baby’s name and official cause and manner of death.
The case has elicited strong reactions from the community. Local residents expressed their grief and outrage, with one mother describing the incident as “sickening” and another neighbor stating, “My heart bleeds for them.” The loss of the infant has underscored the devastating consequences of such alleged acts of violence.