Teen faces new charges

COCONUT CREEK The baby was only 19 days old when he was caught in a literal tug-of-war between his teenage parents, and now the father is facing new child abuse charges for allegedly snatching the baby by his legs from a car seat and fleeing to the Orlando area.

The incident occurred on Aug. 3, when Jonathan Garcia — who turned 18 on Aug. 19 — showed up outside the Coconut Creek home of his baby’s 15-year-old mother, according to his arrest warrant.

He waited in the parking lot until the baby’s mother and grandmother arrived home. As the women were getting out of the car with the infant, Joshua Pachon Quinteron, Garcia allegedly grabbed 15-year-old’s arm and said, “I want to see the baby.”

As the teen parents argued, Garcia struck Joshua’s mother as she held on to the baby’s car seat, police said. Garcia allegedly yanked it from her grasp, and it hit the pavement with the baby strapped in, according to an arrest warrant.

“Jonathan [Garcia] then grabbed the baby by the legs and forcibly pulled the baby from the car seat,” the warrant stated.

Witnesses told police that they saw Garcia hitting and shaking the baby as he was running away. Garcia got an Uber ride to the Oakland Park area then disappeared.

Garcia is not married to the baby’s mother, his name is not on the baby’s birth certificate, and he had no right to custody of the child, court records stated.

An Amber Alert was issued and authorities found the baby and Garcia in the

Orlando area the night of Aug. 3. He was arrested on kidnapping, child abuse, and battery charges and the baby was taken to the hospital as a precaution.

The baby was returned to his mother the next day in good health. Garcia was brought back to Broward County and jailed.

Garcia was back before a Broward judge on Thursday to have his charges modified. He was originally charged with kidnapping, child abuse and domestic battery.

The modified charges include lewd and lascivious battery, child abuse without great bodily harm, interference with custody and battery. Bond was set at $101,000.