Crime Fix with Angenette Levy - Florida Man Beat 4-Month-Old Daughter 'Strawberry' To Death

Episode Date: July 9, 2025

 Jacob Kubai took his 4-month-old daughter nicknamed Strawberry to the hospital in Bartow, Florida in February 2024 and claimed the girl was ill. But Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Kubai actually beat the baby girl to death. Kubai claimed in an interview with detectives that he didn't believe anything that was happening was real. Law&Crime's Angenette Levy goes through the case and Kubai's punishment in this episode of Crime Fix — a daily show covering the biggest stories in crime.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code CRIMEFIX at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: http://incogni.com/crimefixHost:Angenette Levy  https://twitter.com/Angenette5Producer:Jordan ChaconCRIME FIX PRODUCTION:Head of Social Media, YouTube - Bobby SzokeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinVideo Editing - Daniel CamachoGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery Plus subscribers can binge all episodes of this law and crimes series ad-free right now. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Agent Nate Russo returns in Oracle 3, Murder at the Grandview, the latest installment of the gripping Audible original series. When a reunion at an abandoned island hotel turns deadly, Russo must untangle accident from murder. But beware, something sinister lurks in the grand view's shadows.

Joshua Jackson delivers a bone-chilling performance in the supernatural thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Don't let your fears take hold of you as you dive into this addictive series. Love thrillers with a paranormal twist? The entire Oracle trilogy is available on Audible. Listen now on Audible. But I want to introduce you to a murderer, to someone who viciously murdered this beautiful four-year-old baby girl that they refer to as Strawberry."

Now Strawberry's father is in prison for a very long time for beating that baby girl to death. I go through the interrogation of Jacob Kubi, and you'll hear his ridiculous explanation for his baby girl's horrific injuries. Those bruises, they don't just show up overnight. A skull fracture doesn't just show up overnight. Welcome to Crime Fix. I'm Antoinette Levy. You know, I've been covering crime for a really long time now, and there are some things you simply never, ever get used to covering.

And one of them are crimes against children, especially babies. This case involves a baby. Her name was Willow Kubi, and these are photos of her from evidence gathered by investigators in the case. Willow's family actually called her Strawberry. Now they called her Strawberry, according to text messages detectives found, because Willow was named for her older brother, who was stillborn. Can you imagine what Willow's mother is going through? Willow's father, one of two people who was supposed to love her more than anything else in this world and protect her, even give up his own life for her, instead killed her.

Strawberry was just four months old when her father, Jacob Kubi, beat her to death. She was a helpless, defenseless baby. It happened on February 22, 2024 in Bartow, Florida. That's in Polk County. The police chief begins the story. Bartow officers were dispatched to the Bartow Hospital, Bartow Regional Hospital, to report of a child that was injured and had arrived in cardiac arrest. So first officers on scene made contact in the emergency room with medical personnel there and they were working feverishly to save this child's life. Turns out that the child is a four-month-old little girl. Those officers being given some information at the scene then contacted

supervision and asked for a detective whenever detectives responded. It was not a great opportunity to get a lot of information because the whole team at the emergency room was working to save the child's life. That was a little bit after 830 in the evening, on Thursday evening. A helicopter was dispatched, a medical helicopter was dispatched, and the child was stabilized briefly and then placed on the helicopter and flown to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa. Text messages detectives found showed that Jacob Kubi told his wife at the hospital that he was scared and that we can't lose another one, referring to their son who was stillborn. The

sheriff of Polk County, Grady Judd, he doesn't mince words. He said it didn't take his detectives long to determine that Jacob Kubi is the one who killed Strawberry. by is the one who killed strawberry. But I want to introduce you to a murderer, to someone who viciously murdered his beautiful four-year-old baby girl that they refer to as strawberry. Now, it appears to me that normal society can't understand this kind of person. Well, I can tell you from a great deal of experience that a lifelong law enforcement officer can't understand this kind of person either. But here he is, Jacob Kubi.

He's 22 years of age. Sheriff Judd talked about what Jacob Kubi initially told detectives about dropping off Strawberry's mom, his wife, at work. They dropped her off at the Texas Cattle Company in Lakeland at about five minutes to five in the afternoon. And then he went home with the baby. I might also add that mom works also at Buffalo Wild Wings. So she's working two jobs and Jacob's staying home with a baby. So he arrives at home and he then at about 20 minutes to, I guess it's about 20 minutes to six when he gets back home, he plays video games for a while. He discovers while he's fixing dinner that he doesn't have any chicken broth for the food.

So he said he took the baby strawberry and went to Walmart. He told us this. Now we pull the video at Walmart. He has no baby. And then we watch him shop and then he comes through the line to self-check out with no baby. Then he goes home at about 6 54. He's at Walmart less than 10 minutes. at Walmart less than 10 minutes. He said at 7.50 in the evening, about 7.50, he fed the baby and checked on her every 10 minutes.

We felt that was a little strange. So our content really shows you how important personal safety is, and that's especially true when it comes to protecting your privacy online. You would be shocked at how much of your personal information is out there, like your address and phone number. Ever wonder why you get so many spam calls and emails?

That's because this information, it's all public. That's where our sponsor, Incogni, comes in. It's a service that helps you take control of your online privacy by removing your personal data from data brokers. Those are huge companies that sell and trade your info without your permission. Incogni actually found more than 50 brokers

with my information, and here's the kicker. These data brokers have to remove you from their database if you ask them to. Now you're probably thinking, Anjanette, who in the heck has time to contact a data broker? Well, that again is where Incogni comes in. They contact those companies for you to get your online safety back.

You don't have to do a thing, and then they alert you after the request has been completed. After signing up, I get virtually no spam now, so I highly recommend giving Incogni a try. Right now, anyone who uses the code crimefix at incogni.com slash crimefix gets 60% off. That's code crimefix at incogni.com slash crimefix

for 60% off an annual Incogni plan. It was very strange. So detectives went to the Kubei home and executed a search warrant. They wrapped crime scene tape around the house and found a little clutter inside. They also found surveillance video of Jacob shopping at Walmart without strawberry.

So detectives brought Jacob Kubei into the interview room. This is water. Thank you. I'm gonna go talk to the doctor real quick. Just hang tight. If you need anything, just kind of peek your head out here. There should be somebody in the hallway kind of just walking back and forth.

And I'm going to back and direct across the hall. We'll take care of it, okay? Jacob Kubi was in that interview room for a long time until an investigator returned. All right, Jacob. To my understanding that you requested to speak to me. No one has forced you, forced you, or. You have the right to talk to a lawyer before and during any question. If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, one will be appointed to represent you before any question if you wish. You can decide at any time to exercise these rights, not answer any questions, or make any statements.

Do you understand those? So I've read them to you. You still want to talk? You? Okay. They're all ears, Jacob. Go ahead. What Jacob Kubai begins to tell the detectives is a little odd, but it's also something some people claim.

Well, I was kind of hit it. I'm trying to work in internal conflict with this. Hardly is like this is... I'm sure it's been adorable. One thing I don't talk about, and I haven't even told you, is when, well no I did tell you. When I was younger, I used to hear voices and stuff like that. When I was a kid, I thought that was just imaginary stuff. There was one night, not for my dad, I was lying in bed, I couldn't tell you the time, but it was dark out, this is all we write in California, I used to live. I can tell you an age, but I guess I think I was 16 and a half.

I was trying to fall asleep. And that was the first time I heard a voice. It was a female voice. I'd say roughly a range between my age to early throats. Jacob Kubaj said since he was younger that he had heard voices. That's not to say it's not true. Some people actually hear voices. Kubai told detectives since he started hearing these voices,

he's been obsessed with horror movies and he's had fears. And one of the things I feared, I had a lot of fears, was sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis? Yes. Or something like that. And so I kind of brushed this off as sleep paralysis. I first couldn't hear the voice. You brushed what off? Um, the whole experience on how to say it.

Oh, okay. Because I thought, again, over-imagine of mine, with the fact that it could have just been sleepwalking. I... Heard the voice. And it was whispering. I couldn't tell what it was saying. At first. And then... It was getting louder and louder. And...

It was telling me to go ahead and kill my brother and kill my mom. Straight up. Now I couldn't, I don't know what the voice was. Like I couldn't recognize it. It's not from someone that I've talked to. And how old were you when this happened? My guess is 15 and a half because my dad died in May of 2017. I can get more accurate.

It was like a high school year. It was junior year. Your junior year of high school? Correct. Were you ever held back? Nope. And you started kindergarten at the normal age of five? was junior year. You were in junior year of high school? Correct. Were you ever held back? Nope.

And you started kindergarten at the normal age of five? I started a little bit earlier because of birthdays and everything. Just so we can narrow it down, if you started kindergarten at five and then you were a junior in high school, you never get held back at your actual age. Yeah, no. I was advancing, actually.

So you were good in school? You were smart? Yeah Yeah, lazy was smart. So I could have definitely gotten all these if I wanted to, but I didn't put in the effort. So I got some C's here and there. But that's how I am. But it was getting louder and louder and I was scared. Because obviously it's a voice telling you you could kill it. You're fan of it, isn't it? Can I brush that off, because that's just

the thing that would happen to you. But throughout my life, I've had experiences where I've heard voices. Now the detectives sit and listen to Jacob Kubi tell this story, and then they ask some questions. They are, after all, detectives. What do they tell you? More towards harming myself. To harm yourself? How often do you hear these voices?

Like once a month? I couldn't tell you. Twice a year? I wish I could. Sometimes voices? Like once a month? I couldn't tell you. Twice a year? I wish I could. Sometimes not at all in a year? I know it's frequent. I can tell you. Frequent?

At least every month? Again, I couldn't pinpoint, but I know that it's enough that I can know what to say. You know? I would assume if it was happening two times a year, I wouldn't even know at nine, I would think that's not happening. Okay. And being so used to it, I kind of, it wouldn't sound like it makes sense.

But, I guess I'll give it a melody, if that makes sense. I don't know if it does. I don't know if anything makes sense, but I just, ever since that night, I mean just everything in my life. It's a lot to deal with on your own and not be able to discuss it with anybody. The detectives listen, but you'll soon see that they are not buying a word that Jacob Kubi is saying. I was getting more and more concerned because, yes, there is a lot of things people relate to. It's like, oh, I forgot, I'm walking to it and I forget.

There's moments where I'll get up from the bed that I'm lying from because I had to go do something. Whatever it was, I'll forget that. It's like a request I'm giving my wife, and I have to ask again and again and again. So it's not a big part of me that just doesn't think I need this shit, but I never knew. It's real. That's your 401-fold dollar right there. In fact, It's real. That's your 401 full dollar right there. It's real. I wouldn't be.

I know those bruises don't just show up overnight. Those bruises. They don't just show up overnight. A skull fracture doesn't just show up overnight. Something is done to make those things happen. What happened when I made sure the voice is telling you something? Not that I know, because all I do know is what I've told you. Then why did you want to come back in here and talk?

A realization of the sense. You what? A realization of the sense that I don't think this is real. It's real, okay is It's real. Okay, it's real and strawberry Court is the medical examiner's office was hurt in your care And she went unresponsive brain dead and she died

It's real I think from that point onward, from that point, I don't believe that this is real. I don't believe I'm married. I don't believe that. You don't believe you're married? I don't believe I'm married. I don't believe I ever had my first job.

I don't believe I have a car. Jacob Kubi is actually telling detectives that he doesn't believe anything that is happening at that point is real. Why do you feel like that all of a sudden after this incident this night? Why all of a sudden do you feel all those things? You know how you're saying that I don't get time to myself? Yeah. Or how I said that, whatever it is, right? The point is I don't get time to myself? Yeah. Or how I said that? Whatever it is, right? The point is, I don't get time to think.

Not on my sleep, not anytime basically. I'm sitting here wondering how. Because strawberries died. That's's why and she died in your care that's that's why you're here. In this whatever this is. And it's real. I don't. Have you ever seen a doctor for this before? You're hearing voices? No I have not. Did you tell the doctor up in Georgia that you were hearing voices? No. Have you ever told it to anybody other than the two of us sitting in front of you right now? Possibly my wife that I had an experience like I was talking about that day. And I believe I mentioned that. What day? That day? No. What day are you talking about?

The day when I did hear that. Kubaai told the detectives that he once told his wife that he heard a voice tell him to kill his brother-in-law. That's her brother. Then the detectives turn up the heat on Jacob Kubei questioning his claim that he doesn't remember what happened to Strawberry. So do you think that something happened to Strawberry and you blocked it out? Because you don't want to think that it happened is that what you're trying to say if you ask me personally yeah what you think I don't know what you think like why do you think that you don't remember what happened and then now it's not all real.

Because I knew myself back in high school. Okay? It's funny that I still have those traces from high school, as if nothing's changed. I think it's a coincidence. That's not a coincidence. I also think there's a lot of representation in this whole dream slash scenario of how to self-hatred myself and depression and everything else and giving reasons to go ahead and hate myself. Because nothing makes sense. Why the hell am I staying with someone

that would go into these weak concepts? In the beginning of our relationship, we did not start off the best, right? Almost straight away, she finds out about the problem. almost straight away she finds out about the film. And I went ahead and promised her that I would go ahead and change. And I did. But it wasn't permanent. Unfortunately.

And just everything that's happened since that specific day when I first realized it, it's just... It doesn't matter. I guess it's a time that doesn't really accept that. Jacob, I think you're full of shit. I think you did something to this baby and now you're trying to make excuses as to why you don't remember. Was your daughter real? As I told you, I don't think, you know, the Florida is real. I can list what I think is

not real. I don't think that... Jacob, look at this picture. No, I don't think that. Jacob, look at this picture. No, I don't think she's with me. This is your daughter that you have with your wife that you legally married. That you've been taking care of the past four months. While your wife went to work. Two jobs. That you were able to tell us about in depth at St. Joseph's Hospital. But now, because we're telling you you're going to jail, now you want to

say that you don't remember anything and that this is all not real and that you hear voices. I don't buy it. I don't buy it Jacob. I think you're looking for an excuse and you're looking for a way out and you're not taking accountability for what you did to your daughter. That's what's so sad about it is that you're not taking accountability for your actions. This little girl depended on you. She can't she needed you. She can't take care of herself. She can't feed herself. She can't change herself. She needed you. She can't walk, she can't talk, she can't crawl, and you weren't there for her. You did something to her. You got pissed, you got tired, whatever.

She did something that upsets you and you lost your temper and you hit her head on something and she went unresponsive. And then she died. And you're not man enough to take responsibility for that. She went unresponsive. And then she died. And you're not man enough to take responsibility for that. Now you want to say that you have, this is a realistic dream and you hear voices? I don't buy it. At all.

At all. That's fine. Go ahead and put him in handcuffs so Rebecca can pull yourself out. In announcing the charges, Sheriff Judd described what the autopsy of Strawberry revealed. And at autopsy, it gave the details. Our detective said they counted a minimum of 10 strikes to the forehead. Did you hear that? The baby was beaten in the forehead at least by 10 different strikes. 10 ribs were fractured and they said they that

was would have been from a squeezing of the child. In addition to that this significant skull fracture to the back of the head the medical examiner said it would have occurred by striking a hard object. The baby was literally beaten to death. And the only person that was home with the baby at the time was Jacob. And Sheriff Judd made it clear that they had interviewed Strawberry's mother and ruled out her involvement in the baby's death. We interviewed mom and mom said the baby had no bruising when she went to work. The baby

had no, was not complaining or restless as an infant would be that had significant injuries. It leaves only him. Judd then discussed his opinion about Jacob Kubi's claims in the interview room. So our detectives who are simply the very best on our homicide team try to talk to him. And first he's totally lucid, goes, you know, I don't know what you're talking about. We put him in a cell, told him he was going to be charged eventually with aggravated

manslaughter, child abuse, aggravated child abuse. And then when we took him out of the interview room because he wanted to talk to us some more, he started saying things like, none of this is real. My wife's not real. My baby's not real. This is a fantasy. It just didn't happen. He began immediately playing games with us. He showed zero remorse, no

emotion, nothing. Mother responded appropriately when she heard of this injury to her child and couldn't understand how it happened. Jacob Kubi pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter of a child. He was sentenced in May to 30 years in prison for the brutal beating death of baby Strawberry. He's in a Florida prison right now serving that sentence.

And that's it for this episode of Crime Fix. I'm Ann Jeanette Levy. Thanks so much for being with me. I'll see you back here next time.