Partner arrested in death of toddler found with bruises in Bordighera

Authorities have arrested Manuel Iannuzzi, 42, the partner of the mother whose two-year-old daughter was found dead in Bordighera on February 9, 2026. Iannuzzi faces charges of aggravated mistreatment resulting in the child's death.

The child was discovered lifeless in her mother's home on the morning of February 9 by emergency responders. The mother had called for help, stating the toddler was having difficulty breathing. However, responders observed bruises and marks on the child's body, prompting them to contact the Carabinieri and a medical examiner. An initial external examination suggested the child had died several hours earlier, during the night.

During questioning, the mother claimed the bruises were from a fall down the stairs days earlier. She also stated she had spent the night of February 8-9 with her three daughters at her new partner's home in Perinaldo. Contradictions in her account, surveillance footage analysis, and witness statements initially led police to arrest the mother. However, a judge later issued a pre-trial detention order, and she was transferred to Genoa Pontedecimo prison, where she remains.

An autopsy revealed numerous lesions and a significant head trauma as the cause of death. Forensic investigators found traces of blood in the mother's car and at Iannuzzi's residence in Perinaldo. Iannuzzi, who had initially been investigated while free, was arrested on Saturday. The mother also received a similar pre-trial detention order in prison.