Sioux City, Iowa (Northwest Iowa Now) —  Luis Contreras-Deciga, 24, from Cherokee, will face trial in Woodbury County for the alleged murder of his infant child.

The venue change, from Cherokee County, was authorized on March 3, with Woodbury County being selected over Kossuth, Polk, and Pottawattamie Counties, which were also considered. This decision was formalized in court documents filed on March 27.

A scheduling conference for Contreras-Deciga’s trial is set for April 15 at 9:30 a.m.

The first-degree murder charge stems from an incident on May 8, 2024, when the infant was found unresponsive while in Contreras-Deciga’s care. Following four days of hospitalization, the infant was pronounced deceased, with an autopsy revealing the cause of death as homicide due to blunt force head trauma.

According to authorities, Contreras-Deciga admitted during questioning to “violently shaking” the infant before the child became unresponsive. He then contacted the infant’s mother, who initiated the emergency call.

Further investigation of Contreras-Deciga’s phone revealed text messages where another individual allegedly advised him to deny any aggressive actions and “be consistent with his version of events,” according to court documents.

Contreras-Deciga was arrested in December 2024 and entered a not guilty plea in January 2025.