A plea hearing is scheduled next week for a DeKalb man accused of attempted murder of a baby in 2024, court records show.

Maximino Mendoza, 27, was charged Dec. 20, 2024, after police found more than a dozen cellphone videos of the man choking and intentionally hurting a 1-year-old, according to court records.

Mendoza is represented by defense attorney Miranda Miguel. First assistant state’s attorney Alicia Caplan is leading the prosecution. He initially pleaded not guilty on March 25, 2025.

But records show a new plea hearing is scheduled to commence at 9 a.m. on Jan. 15 in front of Circuit Court Judge Philip Montgomery.

Mendoza was charged with first-degree attempted murder of a baby, two felony counts of aggravated battery to a child, one count of felony aggravated domestic battery, and two counts of misdemeanor domestic battery. If convicted, he could face up to 30 years in prison. He’s being held without release at DeKalb County jail in Sycamore.

DeKalb police have said the investigation was built largely on video evidence of the violence against the baby, and hospital records of the baby’s injuries, which included multiple fractured bones, court records show.

In a police interview, Mendoza admitted to hurting the child, telling authorities he wanted to “toughen up” the baby and that he was retaliating against the baby’s mother, court filings allege.

Montgomery previously said that Mendoza was on probation for an unlawful use of a weapon conviction out of Cook County at the time of his DeKalb arrest.

The baby’s mother, Destiny N. Conner, also faces charges after police said she viewed the videos but did not report Mendoza to the police or relinquish custody of her baby, records show.

She’s charged with felony reckless conduct and misdemeanor child endangerment. She’s not in police custody and is represented by special defense attorney Andrew Nickel. Her next court hearing in the case is 9 a.m. Jan. 26 in front of Judge Marcy Buick.