U.S. authorities announce $25,000 reward for information on Nigerian man wanted in infant abuse case.
The United State authorities have issued a wanted notice for 48-year-old Nigerian man, Olalekan Abimbola Olawusi, offering a $25,000 reward for tips that lead to his arrest.
The suspect, who is believed to have fled to Nigeria, faces charges of first-degree murder and two counts of inflicting serious bodily injury to a child.
The charges stem from an April 3, 2017 incident in Providence, Rhode Island, where emergency personnel found Olawusi’s 3-month-old son in critical condition, bleeding from the mouth and nose.
The infant was hospitalized in cardiac arrest with numerous inj+ries indicating long-term abuse, including skull and rib fractures.
Despite being placed on life support, the child passed away six months later. Olawusi was subsequently arrested and charged with first-degree child abuse in April 2017.
He was released the same day and subsequently fled. The murder charge was added following the infant’s death October 31, 2017.
The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) investigation revealed that Olawusi had flown out of John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on June 20, 2017, using his Nigerian passport.
Investigators believe Olawusi may be receiving assistance from family members in Nigeria and that he could be a danger to other children.
In a statement, Don Freeman, Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal, urged anyone with information on Olawusi’s whereabouts to come forward.
Olawusi, who uses the alias Olekun Olawusi, stands 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs approximately 185 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes.
