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Charges Upgraded Against Man Accused Of Shoving Ex-Girlfriend And Baby Out Window

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The Hudson County prosecutor says felony murder charges have been filed against a New Jersey man accused of beating his ex-girlfriend and pushing her out of a third-floor window with their infant son in her arms.

The charges were upgraded Friday against 19-year-old Frederico Bruno of Jersey City, following the baby's death Tuesday.

Bruno's bail was doubled Friday to $1,000,000 cash.

Bruno also faces burglary and attempted homicide counts stemming from the alleged attack on his ex-girlfriend and another woman, who were repeatedly stabbed during the July 27 attack. The child's mother remains in critical condition, the friend was released from the hospital.

Frederico Bruno
Frederico Bruno (credit: CBS 2)

The Jersey Journal says the charges were upgraded when an autopsy showed his 3-month-old son Damien died from blunt force trauma.

Authorities have said Bruno let himself into the woman's Jersey City apartment and attacked her and the other woman when they got home. They said he repeatedly stabbed both women and then pushed his ex-girlfriend into an air conditioner, causing her and the infant to go through a window and fall three stories.

The woman landed on top of the child.

Bruno then climbed down the apartment's fire escape, authorities said, and started beating the woman again, this time using a table he found in the backyard. He later was found hiding in a refrigerator in a vacant apartment in Belleville, about a 45-minute drive away, and was arrested.

Bruno reportedly blurted out "It's a lie" when the judge read out the initial complaint against him Tuesday.

Bruno's public defender declined to comment regarding the upgraded charges.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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