After an extensive investigation, Tampa Police detectives arrested Javaurian Saffold, 28, in connection with the death of his former girlfriend’s 2-year-old son.

Detectives reported that Saffold was alone with Christian Love in an apartment he shared with his girlfriend on May 25, 2012. When the mother returned home, she found the child breathing shallow.

According to reports, Saffold told the mother the child fell and struck his head on the floor. Christian died at a local hospital on May 30, 2012 from severe brain trauma. The Medical Examiner’s Office determined the child’s jury was not consistent with a fall.

On May 21, 2013, detectives went to Pensacola, Florida to arrest Saffold for first-degree murder and child abuse. Saffold was arrested during a meeting with his probation officer. He was serving probation for an aggravated child abuse charge in 2008. He is being held without bond in Escambia County, and will be brought to Hillsborough County in the near future.

Christian’s mother, Candace Mitchell, was charged with aggravated child abuse on May 28, 2012 for failing to seek medical attention for her son in a timely manner.

Investigators said Mitchell waited almost 5 hours to take Christian to the hospital after she found him unresponsive.