A Tomball teenager has been arrested in the death of a 23-month old baby after police believe he struck the baby on the head with a video game remote control.

Det. Ron McGullion of the Tomball Police Department said 17-year-old Ethan Wolfe was arrested in mid July in connection with the death of Julie Maus.

According to McGullion, Wolfe was home alone watching Maus while her mother, Brittany Maus, was at work. McGullion said Wolfe was playing a war-style video game at he and Maus’ apartment in Village Square Apartments.

Wolfe then became angry that he lost the game and Julie began crying, McGullion said. In his anger, Wolfe struck the baby on the head with a wireless remote control and then threw the baby onto the bed, causing Julie to bounce and hit her head on the headboard.

A short time later, McGullion said, Wolfe was in the kitchen doing dishes when he realized Julie was not moving. He brought the baby to a neighbor’s apartment, who called 911.

EMS arrived quickly and found the baby unresponsive, McGullion said. She was Life Flighted to Hermann Memorial Children’s hospital where she was pronounced brain dead. The following day, Julie was taken off life support and pronounced dead.

During initial interviews, McGullion said Wolfe denied any wrongdoing and claimed the baby had a history of seizures, and that could have been the cause of the baby’s death.

Wolfe also said the baby would throw tantrums in which she would throw herself back and flail her arms, and that she could have hit her head then.

However, initial medical reports showed Julie to have several contusions on her head. McGullion said that Wolfe later stated that he and the baby would play a game where he would flop her on the bed in a playful manner and that she could have hit her head on the headboard during one of the times.

“He then said the last time he was changing her, she may have hit her head on a wooden rail on the futon bead,” McGullion said.

But an autopsy report showed that Julie suffered severe head injuries and internal bleeding, injuries that McGullion said likely resulted from more than an accidental head bump.

During a third interview with McGullion, Wolfe admitted striking Julie on the head with the remote control and throwing her on the bed, where the baby bounced and hit her head on a headboard.

Wolfe was arrested and charged with first degree Injury to a Child, which McGullion said carries the same penalty as first-degree murder.

“Whether it was intentional or not, we don’t know,” he added.

According to McGullion, Wolfe and Maus had only lived in Tomball for a few months. The two met in Antlers, Okla., after Brittany had already had Julie. The two moved to Tomball in search of jobs.

McGullion also said Brittany Maus is currently eight months pregnant with Wolfe’s child.

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