A 22-year-old Arizona man, Jonathan Enriquez, is accused of beating his 4-week-old daughter to death. Allegedly, Enriquez texted the girl’s mother that he had “messed up” after striking the girl, who suffered from multiple injuries, including a fractured skull, as per court documents.
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According to a release issued by the Mesa Police Department (MDP), the incident occurred on July 11. At around 9:00 a.m., police responded to an E. Covina apartment complex after receiving a report of a newborn baby not breathing. At the time, it was reported that the baby had choked while being fed a bottle.
Upon arrival, officers found the newborn girl unresponsive. She was alone with her father, Enriquez, when she stopped breathing, as per the MDP. Lifesaving measures were performed, and the girl was transported to a local hospital. More than two weeks later, on July 26, the girl was pronounced dead.
Court documents obtained by AZFamily show that police noted inconsistencies in the parents’ accounts at the time. Allegedly, they also claimed that the baby had fallen off her bed.
Furthermore, Enriquez admitted he had been “quite forceful” while changing his daughter’s diaper, saying that the newborn would hit herself in the face, as per the documents. However, Enriquez allegedly denied hitting the 4-week-old.
The 22-year-old father also allegedly shared other stories involving his daughter, saying that she had fallen out of a car seat into a stroller and that she had been hit by a seat buckle.
Injuries, Alleged Admission
As per the MPD, investigators found that the newborn had suffered other injuries in her body, displaying “various stages of healing.” These injuries, as reported by AZFamily, included a fractured skull, broken bones, brain bleeding, and bruising.
Then, they learned that Enriquez had allegedly texted the girl’s mother, who was at work at the time. He told her that she needed to come home immediately, that the baby was not breathing, and that he had “messed up,” as per the documents.
In an interview, Enriquez allegedly admitted to striking the 4-week-old baby. The court documents added that Enriquez felt “deep remorse” and was ashamed of his actions.
Jonathan Enriquez was charged with first-degree murder and child abuse. He remains at Maricopa County Jail on a $1 million bond. It is unclear whether the newborn girl’s mother, unnamed, will face any charges.