A father has been charged with nearly beating his four-month-old son to death, and a prosecutor announced in court that the child is “not expected to make it” and this “could become a first-degree-murder case.”

The infant’s mother and aunt told Miami Herald news partner CBS4′s Peter D’Oench that they are devastated.

“It’s so so sad for me,” said Mary Chery, the aunt of baby Tavon Mahlab. “This baby was only 4-months-old. It’s terrible. It’s terrible.”

“He has a lot brain damage,” Chery said. “I feel so so bad for him because I loved him so much. My heart aches for him.”

D’Oench spoke with Chery inside the 3rd floor apartment at 690 N.E. 123rd Street where the incident happened.

The affidavit said the baby’s father, Yosi Mahlab, called 911 last Saturday morning to report that his son was unconscious.

He was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital where X-rays showed the infant had a fractured skull, subdural bleeding, retinal hemorrhage and bleeding on the brain.

The affidavit said the father admitted to hitting his son “with force in the face twice.” After the child was hit for a second time, he fell off the father’s lap and hit his head on a nightstand.

Mahlab has been charged with aggravated child abuse.

“I am in double shock,” said Claire Chery, the infant’s mother. “I am with him at his side in the hospital and I am praying for him. The father never did anything like this before.”

Chery said, “I want to see justice done. If he could do this to our baby, he could harm me as well. My baby is critical in intensive care, and I am so sad.”

A Miami-Dade County assistant state attorney who appeared at Mahlab’s bond court appearance said, “Judge, the child is not expected to make it, we are sad to say, and this could become a first degree murder case. The child has no brain function and we are sad to say that it is just a matter of time.”

The prosecutor asked that bond be set at $200,000 and that Mahlab be ordered to stay away from the mother and the aunt.

In court, Mahlab told a Judge that he could not afford an attorney and that while he did have a bank account, he did not have any property. “I do have a car whose value is about $500,” he said.

Mahlab’s brother-in-law also appeared in court along with Mahlab’s sister and asked the judge that Mahlab be given a psychological evaluation.

“We know that what he did deserves punishment,” said the brother-in-law, “but we want to see him evaluated by a psychologist.”