Boyfriend caught on video trying to suffocate girlfriend’s child, Illinois sheriff says

An Illinois man is accused of trying to suffocate his girlfriend’s young child, officials said.

A home surveillance video caught Justin Petro, 32, go into the 20-month-old’s bedroom and put his knee on the toddler’s chest at a Springfield home in April 2020, according to the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office. Petro can be seen covering their mouth and nose until the child appears to go unconscious, officials said.

Then video shows Petro of Springfield leaving the bedroom with the child unattended, officials said. A motive wasn’t released by the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff’s office said the physical abuse was reported on Sept. 14. The Sangamon County Child Advocacy Center, Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office and Illinois Department of Children and Family Services investigated the case.

Petro was arrested at his home last Thursday. A day later, the sheriff’s office executed a search warrant and seized a computer hard drive and surveillance video footage.

Petro was charged with aggravated domestic battery, aggravated battery and domestic battery.