The mother of a 3-month-old held a box containing his remains while attending a preliminary hearing for the man charged in his death.

Destiny Duckett sobbed in Magisterial District Justice James K. Reiley’s courtroom Monday while Mateo Thomas’ father, Cordell John Thomas, of Reading, participated via video from the Schuylkill County Prison.

The approximately 20-minute hearing concluded with Reiley holding all charges for court. Thomas is charged with third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, and endangering the welfare of children.

Thomas is accused of shaking the baby, which led to his death.

First Assistant District Attorney Micheal Stine represented the prosecution. Attorney Todd Mays of Wyomissing represented Thomas.

Stine was the only one to call a witness during the hearing, Pottsville Bureau of Police Detective Joseph Welsh. He testified the police were dispatched to 616 Oak St. on Sept. 24, 2020, for “a child in medical distress, specifically he was not breathing, “ Welsh testified.

The child was taken to Lehigh Valley East Norwegian Street and flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, Allentown. Welsh testified Thomas was taken to the hospital in a police vehicle.

“He was the only person who had sole custody of the child,” Welsh testified.

Duckett went to a medical appointment, leaving him in Thomas’ care.

Welsh testified Mateo had “shown signs of hemorrhaging in his head and other serious traumatic brain injuries.” He died Oct. 8. Welsh said he had “a heart attack caused from blunt-force trauma to the head.”

Charging documents in the case say Dr. Debra D. Esernio-Jenssen determined Mateo was “neurologically devastated.” She said he was “subjected to rotational acceleration/deceleration forces caused by a violent shaking with or without impact.” Furthermore, “his brain was so severely damaged that it caused his heart to stop beating,” documents show.

Dr. Barbara Bollinger performed the autopsy that found cause of death was blunt-force injuries to the head and the manner of death homicide, Welsh said.

Mays asked Welsh when he questioned Thomas, who was at the home when he arrived, and who the officers were responding. Welsh said Thomas had gone to the hospital before he arrived, testified others were in the home upon arrival and when he spoke to Thomas days later he was “cooperative.”