A New Hampshire man, 22-year-old Annthoni Bliss, has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of his girlfriend’s toddler son in January 2024. The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office confirmed the charges, which stem from an incident in which Bliss was left alone with the 23-month-old boy, Luca Hudson, while the child’s mother was out shopping.
On the morning of January 14, 2024, emergency services were called to an apartment in response to a report of a young child in medical distress. Upon arrival, they found Luca unconscious and not breathing. Despite being rushed to the hospital, the toddler succumbed to his injuries three days later, just a month before his second birthday.
The charges against Bliss are the result of an investigation that lasted over a year. Bliss had begun a relationship with Luca’s mother about a month before the incident, although they had known each other for several years. The medical examiner’s report indicated that Luca’s death was caused by blunt force trauma to the head and was ruled a homicide.
Both Bliss and Luca’s mother have denied any involvement in the child’s death. Bliss had been living with his girlfriend, Luca, and Luca’s older brother at the time of the incident. Investigators found no evidence of any injuries on Luca in the days leading up to his death.
Investigators believe that the abuse occurred the night before the emergency call was made, while Luca’s mother was on a nearly hour-long grocery shopping trip. Surveillance footage and interviews have been used to piece together the timeline of events. Text messages exchanged between Bliss and Luca’s mother during her shopping trip gave no indication that anything was wrong at home.
In December, Bliss told investigators that he had been on the phone with his sister while Luca’s mother was out, but no evidence was found to support this claim. A neighbor reported hearing Luca crying for up to an hour around the time his mother was out shopping.
Upon returning from the store, Luca’s mother and Bliss spent time in their bedroom, with Bliss making no mention of any injury to Luca. Later, Bliss discovered Luca vomiting and, after a shower, the boy complained of a headache. Despite this, no call to emergency services was made until several hours later.
Medical examinations revealed that, while Luca showed few external signs of injury, he had suffered significant internal bleeding on his brain and hemorrhaging in both eyes. His brain swelling ultimately led to his death. The medical examiner’s report stated that there was no alternative accidental explanation for Luca’s injuries and that the timing of the injuries coincided with the period when Bliss was alone with Luca.
Bliss was arrested on the evening of Wednesday and is currently being held at the Cheshire County Jail. His next court appearance is scheduled for April 3.