Devil Horn-Tattooed Dad Accused of Killing Crying Infant Once Threatened to 'Slit Throats' of Family: Police

Jakob Krause, 25, was initially arrested on June 27 on a battery charge, but it was upgraded to capital murder on July 7. The upgraded charge comes after the victim, his infant daughter, died in the hospital on July 3.

According to a probable cause affidavit via Law&Crime, the baby was brought to the hospital by her mother. A detective was sent to the scene after a report to the Arkansas State Police Child Abuse Hotline about her injuries. Per the docs, "medical personnel determined the infant's injuries were not consistent with any medical event or accidental fall, but rather indicative of severe trauma, likely caused by a shaking, throwing, or whiplash mechanism."

The child's mother told authorities that Krause was responsible for the baby that day, while she was at work. Krause was then taken to the Fayetteville Police Department for an interview, where he allegedly "admitted noticing concerning symptoms" from the child that morning, including "labored breathing, refusal to eat or sleep, her eyes drifting apart, and body stiffness."

Per police, however, he didn't contact emergency services until the child's mother got home "hours later." In the time before calling for help, he allegedly told police he searched for her symptoms online and was texting with her mother about the child throughout the day.

Initially, Jakob allegedly "denied any accidental cause" to the injuries and suggested the girl "sustained a seizure." Police noted that suggestion was "inconsistent with medical findings"

A search warrant was then obtained for Krause's phone, which police say "revealed multiple text messages in which Jakob expressed frustration with the infant's crying and stated he could not handle it."

On the phone, authorities also allegedly found a photo of the infant "covered in what appeared to be cigarette ash." Texts from the child's mother to family members also allegedly referenced the cigarette ash, as well as claims he had "thrown away multiple cans of baby formula" -- both of which police said supported "a pattern of neglect and abuse."

Additional messages between Jakob and the mother after she and the infant were air-lifted to a second hospital were also included in the docs, in which he allegedly asked her for money and a "kart," which he indicated was short for a marijuana vape. Those messages, noted police, "were not appropriate for the situation."

Another child was also interviewed by police and claimed they saw Krause "hit" the infant, before the mother spoke with authorities and detailed what police called Krause's "history of anger, prior arrests for domestic violence, and past endangerment of children."

The detective on the case then detailed the findings of their investigation, saying Krause had a "significant history of violent criminal behavior, including prior threats of death and serious physical injury toward [the infant child] and the children."

In one alleged incident, after Krause first found out the infant's mother was pregnant with the victim, he "became enraged." When the mother allegedly "attempted to flee" from Krause, he "began striking her multiple times with brass knuckles."

In another instance, he allegedly "threatened to slit the throats of [the mother] and the children." The detective noted "the violent nature of those incidents showcased Jakob's aggressive and unpredictable behavior towards his children and family."

The detective then did a second interview with Krause at the police station. In that interview he allegedly "admitted that he shook the infant victim" on three separate occasions -- first one June 19th "because she would not stop crying." The infant then allegedly "displayed concussion like symptoms during the days following," before he told police he shook her again on June 24th, again because she was crying.

"Jakob stated after he shook the infant victim he observed her eyes moving apart in opposite directions, which is a sign of head trauma," reads the affidavit. "Despite observing the alarming symptom, Jakob stated that the infant victim continued to cry so he shook her vertically again."

When Krause allegedly shook her a third time, her eyes again moved in the opposite direction, before she "began breathing abnormally." He allegedly told police "he then panicked and downplayed the infant victim's symptoms to [the child's mother] because he was fearful he would get into trouble by police for shaking her."

If you are experiencing or witness child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 911.