(PEORIA, IL) Friday, December 12, 2025, at approximately 5:08 pm, Peoria Police were dispatched to a local hospital regarding a 2-month-old baby who arrived via private vehicle to the Emergency Department in need of medical assistance. The baby was found to have severe head trauma, and his condition was considered critical.
Detectives were advised by medical professionals that the trauma to the baby did not appear accidental in nature, and a criminal investigation was initiated.
Working in collaboration with healthcare specialists, detectives conducted multiple interviews with individuals who had contact with the baby leading up to his injuries resulting in no feasible explanation for the trauma consistent with medical findings.
Additional information obtained upon further medical examination revealed the infant suffered several fractures about his body, major head trauma, bleeding on the brain and retinal hemorrhaging.
Numerous search warrants were obtained and executed in furtherance of the investigation.
Tuesday, January 6, 2026, the lead detective in this investigation testified before the Grand Jury of the Tenth Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois where a Bill of Indictment
was issued for Jaravion T. Nichols (20 years of age) for Aggravated Battery to a Child in connection with this case. A Peoria County Warrant was subsequently authorized for his arrest.
At approximately 4 pm, Nichols was located and taken into custody without incident in the 2000 block of Northeast Jefferson Avenue. Nichols was transported to the Peoria Police Department Criminal Investigations Division for interview purposes and subsequently transported to the Peoria County Jail for the Peoria County Warrant of Aggravated Battery to a Child, 26CF6, No Bond.
Investigation is on-going.
Anyone with information regarding any violent crimes is encouraged to contact the Peoria Police Department at (309) 673-4521, tip411 (anonymous), or Crime Stoppers at (309) 673-9000.
**All suspects and arrestees are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. **