Utah baby suffered 21 broken bones during first month of her life, charges say

A West Jordan father was charged Friday with 21 counts of aggravated child abuse, accused of causing 21 broken bones to his 1-month-old daughter. The mother is listed as a co-defendant. | Adobe Stock image WEST JORDAN, Utah (KSL.com) — A West Jordan, Utah, father was charged Friday with abusing his infant daughter, causing 21 broken bones in the girl’s first month of life. Isaiah Regal Hernandez, 23, is charged in 3rd District Court with 21 counts of aggravated child abuse, a second-degree felony. West Jordan police began their investigation when a 1-month-old girl was taken to Primary Children’s Hospital and “was found to have multiple healing and acute rib fractures” as well as fractures to her leg and foot,” according to charging documents. On Dec. 31 when doctors took another X-ray of the girl during a hospital stay, they found “rib fractures were present in an acute (new) phase at that time,” the charges state. Hernandez told police “that they have done ‘bicycles’ with (the girl) and demonstrated with a doll that he holds both legs and moves them outward in a circular motion. Hernandez reported he didn’t think he ‘tried to do anything intentionally,’” according to the charges. The girl’s mother “confirmed that Hernandez would try to do some ‘exercises’ with (the girl) when she is struggling to have a bowel movement,” but admitted that the girl “gets agitated and squeamish and seems uncomfortable when Hernandez does the exercises,” charging documents say. Police say the mother further “stated the exercises could have been a factor in (the girl’s) broken bones and that Hernandez ‘maybe was a little too rough with (her).’” But when officers searched the mother’s phone, they found she had an internet search history for “baby has a bit of blood in her mouth,” “baby bloody noses,” “paleness in babies,” “baby (loses) color in her face,” and “baby loses pink in her face,” according to the charges, as well as “crackling popping noise in my (baby’s) back,” “crackling popping noise in my (baby’s) body,” and “crackling noise when my baby breathes.” In January, Kaitelyn Vanessa Cruz, 24, made additional internet searches for “why (does) my baby have fractured ribs” and “how to get rid of bump on baby head,” the court documents state. Cruz allegedly sent a text message to Hernandez in January stating, “I don’t want them to take her away if we don’t cooperate and tell them how it might’ve possibly happened. … It’s not like you did it with an intent to hurt her at all.” The mother then instructs Hernandez to show doctors how he was trying to help their daughter with constipation issues, the charges allege. Doctors, however, “noted that the injuries (the girl) sustained should be considered significantly concerning for inflicted trauma and that the child is at increased risk of further injury or death if returned to an unchanged caregiving environment,” charging documents state. Prosecutors say Hernandez “utilized a move that was intended to help the victim, however, his carelessness harmed the victim, instead. Despite the victim’s cries, (he) continued to maneuver her body in a way that fractured her bones,” the charges say. “The victim, over the course of her young life, experienced 21 broken or fractured bones, due to the (Hernandez’s) intentional conduct.” Cruz is listed as a co-defendant in court documents, but formal charges had not been filed against her as of Friday.The post Utah baby suffered 21 broken bones during first month of her life, charges say appeared first on East Idaho News.
Source: eastidahonews.com