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Mother's Boyfriend arrested for Child's Murder
| Yuma | | Saturday, 04 June 2011 | Yuma, Arizona - On Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 8:40 am, the Yuma Police & Fire Departments responded to 511 East
County Club Drive in reference to a non-responsive baby. Upon arrival responders
located Danielle Martinez, a 1 year old female, not breathing and without a pulse. She was transported to the Yuma Regional
Medical Center and pronounced dead. The mother, Sonia Sepulveda, 22 years old was
not at home at the time of the incident. Her boyfriend, Victor Noriega, 29 years old of Yuma, was the only person with the
victim at the time of the incident. The investigation revealed Danielle Martinez
had significant internal trauma on the 31st, in addition to past serious injuries consistent with continuous child abuse.
On Friday, June 3, 2011 at 6:00 pm, Victor Noriega was arrested and booked into the Yuma County Detention Center for 1st degree
murder and felony child abuse. The investigation remains active. The Yuma Police Department encourages anyone with information about this investigation to contact Detective Esmundo
Tejeda at (928) 373-4700 or 78 Crime to remain anonymous. |
PHOENIX – A man is under arrest for allegedly killing his baby who would not stop
crying.
Francisco Hernandez, 20, is accused of shaking his baby boy, Francisco Javier Hernandez
Jr., because he would not stop crying.
The suspect was reportedly alone with the 3-month-old child Monday in their
home near 17th Avenue and Broadway Road when he told police he cracked under pressure.
“The father did indicate
that he was frustrated with the child because the child wouldn’t stop crying," said Phoenix police Sgt. Steve Martos.
"He then shook the child. A short time later the child was unresponsive and the father called for police.”
Hernandez faces charges including child abuse and first-degree murder.
The infant’s mother was not home
at the time of the incident.
Phoenix man arrested
in child's death had been reported for abuseby Molly Smith - Nov. 1, 2010 12:02 PM
The Arizona Republic
Newly released court documents show that man who was arrested on suspicion of killing his girlfriend's
2-year-old son on Saturday had been previously reported for child abuse by the mother of the child. Walter Munoz, 24, was arrested on Sunday after authorities responded to a call regarding "a child not breathing" at an apartment complex in the 8200 block
of West Indian School Road. According to Sgt. Steve Martos of Phoenix police, the boy, Daniel Resendiz, was taken to a hospital
where medical staff declared him dead. Daniel's mother, Munoz's 27-year-old girlfriend, made statements to the
police that led them to open a homicide investigation. After being questioned by the police, Munoz told authorities he abused the child for several weeks, according
to Maricopa County Superior Court documents. The documents, released Monday, show that investigators believe Munoz's girlfriend
had reported him for child abuse in August and she had sought help at a shelter. At some point she returned to the residence
she shared with Munoz, though she had previously stated she knew he had beaten the children in the past with his fists and
belt, according to the documents. The woman also has two other children, ages 4 and 5, though Munoz is not the father of any
of them. Munoz told police he was intoxicated on Saturday when he tripped over Daniel, according to the court documents.
He then beat the child, striking him with his fists and biting him, until the boy died, according to the report. Munoz told
police he then placed Daniel in his bed. When the mother returned home from the store, he pointed out to her that something
was wrong with the victim. The mother grabbed the child and ran across the street to call 911. Martos said the girlfriend
- Bianca Arce, 27 - was booked into jail on suspicion of child abuse because she is suspected of being aware of the abusive
behavior and did not prevent it or seek help. The two remaining children in the home were placed in state Child Protective
Services custody.
Associated Press - September 24, 2010 6:54 PM ET PHOENIX (AP) - A Gilbert man has entered a plea agreement in the child-abuse death of his former girlfriend's
baby daughter. Maricopa County prosecutors say 23-year-old David Arnold Reed III pleaded guilty
Thursday to one count each of manslaughter and child abuse. His sentencing is set for Oct. 25. Reed's
first trial ended in a hung jury in July. He initially was charged with first-degree murder in the May 2009 death of 13-month-old
Cheree Goard after investigators found signs the child had previously been abused. The Arizona
Republic says an autopsy showed the toddler died from a blow to the head, had 5-inch fractures on each side of her skull and
extensive brain swelling. There was a healing fracture of her collarbone and a fracture of her right arm.
Scottsdale couple plead guilty in child abuse
caseby Associated Press (September 25thPHOENIX — A Scottsdale couple accused of abusing their baby daughter
has pleaded guilty in the case. Maricopa County prosecutors say 21-year-old Zachary Wilson and 18-year-old Latovia
Jones entered their pleas Friday. The couple was arrested in April after Jones took the baby to a Scottsdale hospital's
emergency room with a swollen head and doctors discovered old and new injuries. Prosecutors say Wilson pleaded guilty
to aggravated assault and child abuse for causing Lazayia Wilson Jones to suffer a skull fracture, broken wrist and broken
ribs between Feb. 1 and April 10. He faces up to nearly four years in prison followed by supervised lifetime probation when
he's sentenced Oct. 25. Latovia Jones pleaded guilty to failing to protect her daughter from abuse and failing
to obtain prompt medical attention for her head injury. She will be placed on supervised probation for a minimum of 10 years
when she's sentenced Oct. 26.
Pinal County man's killing of family stuns communityby Lindsey Collom - Sept. 23, 2010 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic
Pinal County sheriff's deputies are investigating what led
a Santan-area father to fatally shoot his two young children and critically injure his wife before killing himself this week. The slayings, discovered by worried relatives Tuesday, have left family and friends in disbelief and forced to reconcile
the Gilbert Ramos they knew with the killer authorities portray him to have been. Neighbors recall Ramos, 45, as the doting father to 10-year-old Nicholas and 8-year-old
Emma. Family members say he was a rock and a problem solver, always happy to help. His profile
on a social-networking website gave no indication of trouble. It included glimpses of family life: He wrote: "Glad to
be home from work with the family. Doing homework with the little ones." He talked of vacations past and present: Sea
World with the kids, Las Vegas and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with his wife, Sandra, 37. "I'm
so confused . . . They were the nicest people and the children were beautiful, the most well-behaved and sweet children,"
neighbor Amy Kinnard said. "I have to think he was out of his mind." The Pinal County
Sheriff's Office said Ramos shot his wife and killed their children as they lay in their beds, before turning the gun
on himself. Authorities think brewing financial troubles may have been behind the attack but
have not released details. Family members found the bodies Tuesday evening inside a home in the
1300 block of East Nardini Street. Relatives went to the house after attempting to reach the Ramoses for two days. Sandra Ramos had life-threatening injuries and was flown to a hospital, where she remained in critical condition
Wednesday. Her husband and two children were pronounced dead at the scene.
Reporter: Sheryl Kornman LAKE
HAVASU CITY, Ariz. (KGUN9-TV) - The two young children abducted by their father Sunday in a custody dispute have been found
safe in California. Their father, Brian Diez, 26, killed himself Sunday morning in Rancho Cucamonga. He took
the children from their mother in Lake Havasu and killed her and five others after he entered a Lake Havasu
residence early Sunday morning to take the children. He and the mother were involved in a custody dispute. An
Amber Alert was issued early Sunday morning after the children went missing. The children are Kaia Diez, 4 years old, and
Cole Diez, one year old.
A 16-year-old mother from
Phoenix was arrested last Saturday after police suspected that the girl had faked her daughter's kidnapping. ABC News
reports that the teenager called police to report that a group of men had kidnapped her 1-year-old baby at gunpoint near 67th
Avenue and Van Bruen Street, where a large number of police officers proceeded to assist with the search for the baby. After a couple of hours, a K-9 unit
reportedly located the baby, who appeared to be unharmed, sleeping in a stroller behind some bushes near 67th Avenue
and Fillmore Street. Police believe that the teenager left her baby at the location after having difficulties coping with
the responsibilities of motherhood. Child Protective Services then left the baby with family members of the mother while
the girl was detained for allegedly leaving her child. Perhaps the young mother was not aware that
she had alternative options to faking a kidnapping, if she no longer wanted her child. A police spokesman reminded community
members through ABC News that there are a number of services in the community that can help teenagers with taking care of
their children. He said that police officers will even step in when it comes to desperate situations. Any parent can also voluntarily terminate his or her own parental rights and surrender a child to the state,
which would make him or her no longer the legal guardian for a child. In the state of Arizona, there are Phoenix family lawyers that can help parents with this process.
Web Producer: Brian Pryor TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Koffi Dogbevi has been charged with first degree murder in the death of his six year-old son. Authorities on
August 3rd 2010 responded to Dogbevi's residence where they interviewed a six year-old boy who according to the father,
had fallen down a flight of stairs. Investigators determined that the injuries were not consistent with a fall and arrested
Koffi Dogbevi on Tuesday, August 10th for child abuse. On Wednesday August 11th 2010, the boy was taken off life support at
an area hospital and the father was charged with murder.
Trial set for
Goodyear couple in child abuse case
Associated Press - July 28, 2010 7:24
PM ET PHOENIX (AP) - A Goodyear couple will stand trial in October for allegedly
abusing their adopted daughter over her potty training last year. Maricopa County
prosecutors say 41-year-old Raul Varela faces two counts of child abuse and his 40-year-old wife, Tricia Varela, faces four
counts of child abuse. Their trial is scheduled to start Oct. 18 and if convicted, prosecutors say the couple could each face
prison sentences of 10 to 24 years. The two were arrested on April 28, 2009, after
Tricia Varela took their then 4-year-old daughter to a Goodyear hospital for abdominal pain. Doctors say they discovered severe
bruising on several parts of her body along with what appeared to be a broken arm. The
girl was taken to a Phoenix hospital and further examination revealed she also had two broken legs and a fracture to her upper
right arm. The Varelas told police they caused the girl's injuries three days earlier during a "potty-training war."
Bullhead City, AZ (KTNV)
- A one month old baby has died after injuries he suffered from a brutal sexual assault. Some of the details in this case
are graphic. Police say the baby's parents are the one's responsible and that it happened
in their home in Bullhead City, Arizona. The baby died at Sunrise hospital with more injuries than most people can stomach
to think about. It is something family and friends say they're having a tough time even comprehending. "He was trying to cry. He couldn't really cry," said family friend, Zachary Piper as he described
how he found the baby. "He had bruising rings around his eyes and his eyes were almost swollen
completely shut. He was trying to get his breath, but he had real short sporadic breaths," said Zachary. Zachary found one month old Matthew Vandergriff after Matthew's uncle, Mac Barbosa called him for help. "I told my sister this is ridiculous, you need to get him to the hospital," said Mac. But Zachary and Mac say Matthew's parents, 19-year old Staci Barbosa and 23-year old Jonathan Vandergriff didn't
want to take him because Matthew had been brutally sexually assaulted. "Right then and there
I picked up his car seat and went out to my car, buckled him in," Zachary says. They brought
baby Matthew to Western Arizona Regional Medical Center, but once the doctors saw the severity of his injuries, he was airlifted
to Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas. He died within 24 hours. Police say he had broken ribs, a broken
femur, signs of sexual assault and shaken baby syndrome. Family and friends say they don't know how this happened, but
they want justice. "I'm happy they're in jail," said Mac. "Staci Barbosa and Jonathan Vandergriff are nothing to us now. I hope they stay in jail. I hope they rot,"
neighbor, Krystal Peck says. Both Barbosa and Vandergriff are in the Mohave County Jail. Right
now they're charged with child molestation, aggravated assault, child abuse and sexual conduct with a minor. Police say
more charges, including homicide, are pending. Barbosa and Vandergriff also have a 2-year old
little girl. She is currently in her grandmother's custody.
ARIZONA Cococino County Father: RYAN PETERS Victim(s):
Teigan Peters (aka Teigan Brown) (3 years) Date of Death: June 2009 Daughter killed in murder-suicide during court-ordered
visitation . Mother had applied for orders of protection.
Maricopa County
Father:
JEFFREY DUCHANE Victim(s): Trenay Duchane (12 years) Date of Death: Nov. 2008 Custodial father and stepmother
convicted of murder.
Father: RAUL MOLINA GONZALEZ Victim(s): Anthony Gonzalez (11 years) Date
of Death: Summer 2005 Father convicted of murdering son during summer visitation.
Father: NUSHAWN
CAMPBELL Victim(s): Son (5 years) Date of Death: June 2009 Father with sole custody murders son in failed
murder-suicide. Mother had been trying to regain custody.
by Alicia E. Barrón
Posted on April 21, 2010 at 3:46 PM Updated Saturday, Apr 24 at 8:00 PM SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – A Scottsdale couple was arrested and
are facing child abuse charges involving their infant.
The parents of a 4-month old
baby girl -- Latovia Jones,18, and Zachary Michael Wilson, 21, were both arrested on charges of child abuse Wednesday.
According to police, on April 10th, the baby was taken to the emergency room of a local hospital for swelling on the
side of her head. Doctors who examined the girl said she had a skill fracture, multiple rib fractures, and a fractured
wrist. In a police report, Wilson admited to placing the infant face down and pressing
the back of the baby's head into the bed until she would stop crying. Jones admited to witnessing this repeatedly
over a period of six weeks. Jones had reportedly been in contact with police, hospital staff,
and Child Protective Services. Jones told police that the child's father (Wilson) had been caring for the baby.
During that time Wilson told Jones that the baby fell off the bed and hit her head on a trunk.
Jones faces one count of child abuse and is being held on $10,000 bond. Wilson faces three counts of child abuse and is
being held on a $500,000 bond. The baby survived her injuries but her medical condition is
unknown at this time.
Man arrested for breaking arms of his girlfriend's child
Posted on March 8, 2010 at 1:29 PM
****** PRESCOTT - A hospital visit for a three-year-old's
broken arm leads to the discovery of alleged child abuse and an arrest.
The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office
got a call from Yavapai Regional Medical Center in Prescott around 3:30 a.m. on March 5 concerning the circumstances that
led to the broken arm.
Deputies learned from the nurses that the child has been admitted by his mother and her
boyfriend. After determining the child's arm was broke the boyfriend, Kyle Tang, 27, admitted involvement in causing the
injury.
Tang has lived with the boy and his mother for about three years, but is not the father of the child.
Tang admitted to deputies that he became frustrated with the boy's behavior and grabbed his arm to pick him up
off the bed. That is when he heard a popping noise.
After interviews were completed with Tang, the boy's family
and hospital staff, Tang was arrested for one count each of child abuse and aggravated assault.
Child Protective
services has been called into look at the case.
Men face $1 million
bond for child abuse Two Hamlet men arrested for the near-fatal drowning
of a 4-year-old boy on Saturday are facing felony child abuse charges and a $1 million bond. Charles Garland Quick,
47, Spring Street, Hamlet, and Richard Wayne Lamonds Jr., 33, Henderson Street, Hamlet, were arrested around 6:30 p.m. on
Saturday on felony child abuse charges. In addition to the child abuse charge, Quick received another misdemeanor charge for
resisting a public officer. According to Capt. Bob Steele with the Hamlet Police Department, both men were supposed
to be baby-sitting two children. One was the 4-year-old who apparently wandered from the home on Dennis Street to a home on
Austin Street. The child opened the back gate and later fell into a pool, according to Steele. An
off-duty nurse stopped by the home on Austin Street, which belonged to her parents to let their dogs out, and noticed the
back gate open. As she closed the gate, she noticed the boy face-down in the pool. She pulled him out of the water and began
performing CPR, according to Steele. After numerous attempts to revive the boy, he began breathing and the woman
called 911. “When officers arrived at the home, only one child was in the house,” Steele said. “They
tried to lie to keep from getting into trouble. They were both drunk.” The boy was Quick’s son. Steele said in an e-mail that, with consent, Quick blew a .19 on an alcohol sensor. The child was transported
to a hospital in Charlotte. He was scheduled to be released Monday into the custody of the Department of Social Services.
Both men are being held in the Richmond County Jail under a $1 million bond. Staff writer Bryan Stewart
can be reached at 997-3111 ext. 15 or by e-mail at bstewart@yourdailyjournal.com.
Arizona personal injury
- A 14-year-old girl was locked up, barley fed, forced to live outside2010-02-11 05:22:57 (GMT)
(JusticeNewsFlash.com - Justice News Flash, Personal Injury)
Personal
injury attorneys alert- Child Protective Services is investigating a shocking case of child neglect involving a 14-year-old
girl. Phoenix, AZ—A nightmarish story was reported on Tuesday, February 9, 2010, about a 14-year-old girl who
was imprisoned like an animal with no running water for nearly two months by FoxNews.com. The girl’s father and stepmother
kept her in what the parents called “lock-up” as a punishment for stealing food. While in “lock-up”
the terrified girl was forced to exercise until exhaustion, beaten with belts and metal rods, and they would even pull her
by her hair if she stopped exercising. Her father and stepmother, Scott and Andrea Bass, gave her only a few cans of food,
crackers and bread every couple of days. On January 24, 2010, the girl managed to escape her dungeon by crawling up a linen
closet, into an attic crawl space where she kicked out a loose board, and then ran out the back door of the home. The girl
ran for help and someone called the police for her. Officers and Child Protective Services rushed to the victim’s home
to talk to her dad and stepmother. Once inside the home, officials found a bathroom locked from the outside. Scott, not realizing
that his daughter had escaped, opened the door and was visibly shocked to see her missing. Inside the bathroom was a 5-gallon
bucket with nearly 4 inches of urine, a blanket on the tile floor, and empty cans of food. Bass did admit to officials that
he locked the girl in the bathroom for stealing food and cheating in home schooling. Investigators then uncovered that the
girl has been forced to live and sleep outside on the patio during the summer time. She was also locked in a closet for a
week with no light, and locked in a bathroom for a week. Andrea reportedly acknowledged the allegations, and stated, “She
no longer wanted to have anything to do with [the victim.]” After a medical evaluation, it was revealed that the
14-year-old girl was in the 25th percentile for weight and in the 50th percentile for height, when comparing to other girls
her age. The Bass’ were arrested on February 4, on charges of unlawful imprisonment, kidnapping, failure to report neglect
of a minor, and child abuse.
Tuba City couple indicted on assault, child abuse
charges
Thursday, January 14, 2010
A Tuba City couple has been federally indicted with child abuse in connection
with several incidents involving a young girl in their care over a three-year period. According to
information from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Phoenix, the 35-year-old man in the relationship was indicted on eight
counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and six counts of intentional or knowing child abuse. The
36-year-old woman in the relationship was also charged with six counts of intentional or knowing child abuse. According
to investigative reports, medical staff at Phoenix Children's Hospital notified federal investigators they had a 5-year-old
girl who had been a victim of child abuse and torture. The child had broken ribs, fractured pelvis,
broken leg, multiple abrasions and bruises over her entire body, blood spot in left eye, missing nasal septum with blood in
both nostrils, all upper teeth missing, ulcers to back, head and neck, multiple healing scabs, head lice and clumps of hair
missing from her head. Investigators interviewed the woman of the couple who had become guardians of
the girl. She made voluntary statements as to the physical abuse her spouse had inflicted with slaps, belts pliers and steel-toed
boots. According to investigator reports, when confronted, the man told investigators, "I did
it. I did all of it." Conviction for assault resulting in serious bodily injury carries a
maximum penalty of 10 years to life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Conviction for intentional or knowing child abuse carries
a maximum penalty of 22 years in prison. An arraignment date has not been set. The male suspects remains
in federal custody
Abused
Chandler child dies; father faces homicide charge Sept. 15, 2009 09:39 AM
The infant girl who police said was physically and possibly sexually abused by her father died Monday afternoon,
one week after the attack in the family's Chandler home. The
Police Department has upgraded its recommended charges against Brian Mark Hopf, 25, from child abuse to homicide, marking
the fourth child-abuse death since November.
In
January, police arrested a daycare worker who they said suffocated a toddler during nap time when the girl wouldn't stop
crying. Those charges are being reviewed at the county attorney's office. Hopf told police that he was feeding the 3-week-old infant at about 4 a.m. when he accidentally poked her
in the eye. The girl cried so hard, he said, she stopped breathing for about a minute. He started chest compressions and she
began breathing again, but he didn't call 911 or tell any of the other four adults in the home - the baby's mother,
his father, stepmother or stepbrother. When police told him about
the skull fractures, he responded that he tripped and fell while holding the child. Doctors said the injuries were from multiple blows to the head, which cause irreversible brain damage, swelling
and bleeding, according to court documents. The girl also had multiple injuries to her inner thighs and genitals, and police
are waiting for further tests to confirm whether sexual abuse occurred. It
was the baby's mother who noticed in the morning that there was a large bruise on the child's left eye. She took the
baby to the hospital where doctors said she was unresponsive. Hopf
has a history of domestic violence towards his girlfriend, the baby's mother, according to police. There was one call
for service to the home related to domestic violence in January, Mendoza said. Hopf has a history of drug use, including a marijuana charge he pleaded guilty to in 2001, and admitted to
police he abuses methamphetamine. He was also given two years probation in 2007 for credit card theft
CHANDLER, Ariz. -- The mother of a 3-year-old child
who died of blunt force trauma and her 23-year-old boyfriend have been booked on charges of first-degree murder and child
abuse, Chandler police said.
Officers took Susan Witbracht, 26, and Dauntorian Sanders,
into custody after detectives reviewed autopsy results.
Police said they got a call on Monday afternoon that a child
was not breathing. When officers arrived at the home at 2351 E. Wild Horse Place in Chandler, they found the girl and began
administering CPR, said Sgt. Joe Favazzo of the Chandler Police Department. Firefighters also joined the effort when they
arrived.
The 3-year-old was then rushed to an area hospital, where she later died, Favazzo said.
Autopsy findings
released Tuesday indicated the death was a homicide attributed to multiple blunt-force traumas, Favazzo said.
...Teigan Peters died on Father's Day at a campsite along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. According to police,
the 3-year-old's father, Ryan Peters, shot her and then killed himself.
...Investigators said Teigan's father
was upset over the custody arrangement.
Woman convicted of child abuse July 2, 2009 - 10:47PM A jury on Thursday returned a child abuse conviction against a Chandler
woman whose toddler son suffered two broken arms, broken ankles and bleeding on his brain in 2007. The conviction was
for a lesser-degree felony than what she was indicted on, meaning she could get up to a year less behind bars if she is sentenced
to prison. According to a search warrant filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, paramedics responded to the home of
Rana Krank, 28, on March 30, 2007, to find the 22-month-old child with a fast pulse and labored breathing. Doctors found
several broken bones that were in various stages of healing, bleeding on his brain and pneumonia, the warrant states. Police
also arrested Krank's live-in boyfriend, Alvin Broom, on child abuse charges. He is scheduled for trial later this month.
Man indicted for child abuse
PHOENIX - Chandler resident, Jeremias Aguilar,
was charged this Wednesday with first degree murder and two counts of felony child abuse. On
June 6, Aguilar allegedly threw his girlfriend's two- year- old daughter on the floor because she was crying. The young
child's mother has also been charged with felony child abuse. Aguilar and the mother made a 911 call 2 hours after
the incident. The infant was rendered unconscious due to hitting her head on the cement floor after Aguilar allegedly tossed
her on the ground. When the two-year-old baby arrived at the hospital doctors found bruises all over the child's
body, including her arms, legs and back. When Aguilar was questioned by police that day in June, he admitted to hitting
the child because she was crying. The young girl's mother, Josefa Talevara, said she was afraid because the baby's
eyes were purple. The young girl was kept in an unconscious state until she was taken off life support, she died June 18th.
While child abuse in any form is ghastly, County Attorney Andrew Thomas said, "Child abuse that ends in murder
is tragic for both the victims and the community. This office's ‘violent crime, hard time' policy will make
sure these defendants are held accountable for their alleged crimes."
Slain Gilbert baby showed previous signs of abuseby Nathan Gonzalez - May. 13, 2009 04:52 PM
The Arizona Republic A
13-month-old girl, who Gilbert police say died Friday at the hands of her mother's boyfriend, showed previous signs of
abuse before suffering two fatal skull fractures, court documents filed Tuesday show. David Arnold Reed III, 22, was charged Tuesday in Maricopa County Superior Court where he will face one count of first-degree murder and child abuse and other charges in the beating death of Cheree Goard
. An autopsy showed the baby suffered two 5-inch-long skull fractures on each side of her skull and there was "extensive
swelling" of the brain and subdural bleeding. The autopsy also showed a healing fracture of the clavicle
and radial fracture of the right arm. Reed was arrested Saturday and is being held on $500,000 cash-only bond. "It's
a tragic and unfortunate situation we are dealing with. This is a case that affects a lot of people," police spokesmen
Sgt. Mark Marino said on Monday. He declined to give details about the incident, which is described in court documents. Darlene
Cerimeli, Reed's mother, called 911 about 5:15 p.m. May 7 saying the child had fallen from a bed in her home where Reed
lives with the child's mother, court documents state. When emergency crews responded to 531 S. Pandora Drive, the
child was unresponsive and needed to be airlifted to Maricopa County Hospital. "The child was declared brain dead upon arrival at the hospital," court documents state. When
questioned by detectives, Reed stated he picked up the child from its maternal grandmother's home about 4:30 p.m., and
"at that time, she was acting normal and showed no sign of injury or illness," court records show. When he
returned home, Reed said he placed the child on the couch and changed her diaper. When he returned from throwing the diaper
in an adjacent bathroom, the child was on the floor, court documents state. "She was unresponsive and grasped
for breath," Reed told investigators. Police noted the seat of the couch is about 21 inches from the padded, carpeted
floor. The autopsy revealed the child died from blunt-force trauma to the head. "Based on the injuries, David's
reported story is not consistent with the injuries found," court document state. "The injuries were received while
the child was solely in David's immediate care." Reed and the baby's 19-year-old mother live at his mother's
home, although the baby's mother wasn't there at the time the baby was injured, Marino said. Reed and the baby's
mother have a 3-year-old child in common and were raising it along with the 13-month-old, who has a different father, Marino
said. There is no indication the 3-year-old was abused, Marino said. David Reed's MySpace page lists him
as a "proud father" and has several pictures of his 3-year-old daughter. Police issued a search warrant on
Reed's mother's home, but it remains unclear what was taken, if anything. A search of court records didn't show
Reed has a criminal history.
Chandler couple arrested on child abuse charges after 17-month-old girl knocked unconscious
February
27, 2009 3:14 AM ET MESA, Ariz. (AP) - A Chandler couple have been arrested on child abuse charges after the man
injured the woman's 17-month-old daughter by slamming her into a playpen. Chandler police say 30-year-old Michael
Charles Yettner allegedly knocked the child unconscious Sunday and then he and 21-year-old April Dawn Porter spent about five
minutes trying to revive the baby with cold towels and shaking. Police say Yettner slammed the girl down to quiet her
crying and the child began vomiting when she regained consciousness. When the couple took the girl to a hospital, they
told the staff the child had fallen but doctors and nurses called police because the injuries weren't consistent with
a fall. Police say Yettner and Porter each were booked into jail on one count each of child abuse. They are being
held in lieu of $75,000 bail apiece.
Prescott Valley Father Police were searching
for turned himself in
Prescott Valley police were looking for a 23-year-old
PV man who they think may have abused his 5-month-old baby boy.
Saturday at 10:14 a.m., officers responded
to Yavapai Regional Medical Center's East Campus for a report of possible child abuse.
The baby
initially went to the hospital with facial injuries, but doctors later found that he had possible skull fractures, PV Police
public information officer Brandon Bonney said.
Doctors then sent the baby to Phoenix Children's Hospital for
more treatment, Bonney said.
Police say doctors in Phoenix determined that the baby had severe injuries not consistent
with the suspect's reported story surrounding an alleged accidental injury.
The baby had multiple skull fractures
and internal injuries as well as facial injuries, Bonney said. Doctors are still treating the infant, he added.
Detectives
say they tried to speak to Denz, who was reportedly heading to the hospital to see his child. But they said they later found
out that Denz did not go to the hospital.
Police have issued a felony warrant for the suspect's arrest with
a $100,000 bond.
Tucson mother, Shonda Harper, 39,was arrested on Feb 4, 2009 for what police reported as
injuries inflicted by her to her 2-year-old girl on Dec 31, 2008. The child remains hospitalized in
Phoenix.
Bail has been set at $50,000. The child abuse case is described on the Arizona Department of Economic Security's Web site. The site provides some details on abuse or neglect cases that involve the death or "near-death"
of a child. Officer Charles Rydzak, a Tucson police spokesman, said Harper
was initially arrested in December after police responded to a 911 call reporting suspected child abuse. An outstanding felony
warrant in a Texas case delayed her jailing here in the abuse case. Rydzak
said he could not disclose details about the injuries to the child. She was taken to University Medical Center and then airlifted
to a hospital in Phoenix, he said. The other children in the home were
turned over to the state's Child Protective Services. Rydzak said he could not disclose the ages of the children. They
apparently were not physically harmed.
Bullhead City mom, step-father arrested for alleged child
abuse
10:00 AM Mountain
Standard Time on Thursday, January 15, 2009
Bullhead
City Police Department
The following is a news
released from the Bullhead City Police Department.
BULLHEAD CITY -- Bullhead City Police
arrested the parents of a 9-year-old girl on several child abuse related charges. On Sunday,
January 11th, 2009, a family member reported the suspected abuse to law enforcement. After
further investigation, police discovered that while the family lived in Bullhead City between December 2007 and February 2008,
the victim (then 8 years old) was severely beaten and abused by her step-father, 25-year-old Juan Manuel Corral Jr. On
several occasions during this time “as a form of discipline”, the girl was dragged to the bathroom by her hair
and forced to take cold showers for up to one hour, was forced to remove her clothing and eat her dinner on the floor “like
a dog” and made to urinate and defecate on the floor “like a dog.” During
a week in January, 2008, Corral Jr punched and slapped the victim in the head and punched her in the stomach numerous times.
The victim was so severely beaten, she missed an entire week of school because her body was badly bruised. Corral Jr also
inappropriately touched her as another form of “discipline.” The victim’s mother, 32-year-old Dawn M. Corral
stood by and watched the abuse and did nothing to protect her daughter. Police believe the
abuse continued when the family moved to Phoenix, Arizona in February, 2008. The case will be forwarded to the Phoenix Police
Department for follow up. Bullhead City Police arrested the victim’s parents yesterday,
January 14th in Bullhead City, where the family now resides. Juan Corral Jr was arrested
for sexual contact with a minor, sexual molestation of a minor, endangerment
per domestic violence and aggravated assault per domestic violence. Dawn Corral was arrested for child abuse per domestic
violence, endangerment per domestic violence and aggravated assault per domestic violence. The suspects were booked into the
Mohave County Jail in Kingman.
Mother arrested for child abuse; father
arrested for hindering prosecution
12:29
PM Mountain Standard Time on Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Yavapai County Sheriff's Office
UPDATE
JULY 2: The following is a press release from the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office:
On June 26, 2008, Yavapai County Sheriff's Office Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Unit arrested
20-year-old Chino Valley resident Alexander (Alex) Allen for Hindering Prosecution in the 1st degree.
 Yavapai Co. Sheriff's Office Alexander
Allen
Since the arrest of the baby's mother, Michelle Murray, for several counts of child abuse
on June 17, 2008, detectives have continued their investigation as to the cause of the injuries. During further interviews
with Allen regarding the case, detectives verified that Allen intentionally lied to them as to the cause of the baby's
injuries during their first contact with him at the hospital. Allen did this in an apparent effort to protect Murray. Both
Allen and Murray had claimed that Murray's two-year-old daughter pulled the baby out of an infant swing and caused the
injuries. Allen's actions hindered the prosecution of Murray by providing false information to detectives and medical
staff. As a result, Allen was arrested for Hindering Prosecution, and booked at the Prescott Detention Center. Additional
charges are still possible. Detective Ross Diskin, the lead investigator in this case, is seeking information
from anyone who has knowledge of child abuse incidents involving Murray and Allen. Detective Diskin may be reached at 928-777-7348.
ORIGINAL REPORT: The following is a press release from the Yavapai
County Sheriff's Office: CHINO VALLEY -- On June 17, 2008, Yavapai County Sheriff's Office
detectives from the Criminal Investigation Section, arrested 26-year-old Chino Valley resident Michelle Murray (aka Swartz)
for several felony counts of abuse involving her two month old baby boy. On June 11, 2008, Allen and Michelle
Murray took their baby to Yavapai Regional Medical Center due to a swollen right leg. The parents told hospital staff another
sibling, a two-year-old girl, caused the injury three days prior. After completing an exam and x-rays, medical staff discovered
the boy had a fractured skull, fractured right femur, partially healed broken clavicle, and multiple rib fractures in various
stages of healing. Based on the findings, YRMC medical staff called Children Protective Services (CPS) and YCSO. The Murray’s
reside in the 1000 block of Buffalo Run Road, Chino Valley. Detectives arrived at the hospital and after interviewing
the parents, learned their initial story to hospital staff was false. CPS took custody of the child and detectives began an
investigation into the cause of the baby’s injuries. During the next few days, Michelle changed her story several times
as to how her baby was injured in an apparent attempt to conceal child abuse. Additionally, even with full knowledge of the
injuries, Michelle could not explain why she waited three days before taking her baby to the hospital for treatment. These
types of injuries, if left untreated, could have resulted in a long term serious medical condition or even death. Detectives
learned that a family member, who had seen the baby’s swollen leg, had to demand Michelle take the baby to the hospital.
Based on the results of the investigation as of June 17, 2008, detectives believe Michelle had a direct roll
in the abuse of her baby and she was arrested and booked at the Prescott Detention Center on six various felony child abuse
charges. Her bond is set at $250,000 dollars. The baby's father, Allen Murray, is cooperating with detectives
as the investigation continues. The other child is also in protective custody. Citizens can contact the Yavapai
County Sheriff's Office with information or questions at (928) 771-3260 or the YCSO website: www.ycsoaz.gov
Police: Daughter molested by mom, former
counselorJackee Coe and Senta Scarborough
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 18, 2008 02:26 PM A former Mesa family counselor groomed his fiancée
into drugging her 11-year-old daughter with sleeping pills so they could take photographs while they molested her over a three-month
period in 2006, according to police.
William L. Riedel, 43, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of sexual
conduct with a minor and child molestation. His former girlfriend, now 55, whose name is being withheld by The Arizona
Republic to protect the victim's identity, was also booked Thursday on suspicion of sexual exploitation of a minor,
and sexual and child abuse.
The girl was placed in the custody of the state Child Protective Services.
Arvayo said Riedel worked as a former in-home family counselor for an agency in the Valley.
Riedel
told police he met the girl's mother at his Mesa apartment complex and "groomed" the mother to help him molest
her daughter. Police believe the molestation by the couple occurred from January to March 2006.
Riedel purchased
Ambien sleeping pills and had victim's mother tell her daughter to take them for her allergies, police records show. The
mother told investigators that she was intoxicated when she took photographs while Riedel molested her daughter. She also
told police she molested her daughter, but was "sorry."
Police began their investigation after a 13-year-old
classmate of the victim found images of the girl being molested by Riedel. Riedel was living with the woman, then his fiancée,
and her daughter when the classmate found the photographs on a computer. He had been living there for about two months, court
records show.
The mother confronted Riedel, told him to leave her house, and called police.
Police seized
the computer and discovered "thousands" of child pornographic images, including photographs of Riedel and the victim's
mother molesting her while the girl appeared to be unconscious or drugged.
One image on the computer's hard
drive shows the victim's mother placing her breast into her daughter's mouth while the girl was drugged, police records
show.
The images also include child pornography widely circulated on the Internet, Arvayo said.
|
Christopher Mathew Payne rocked slowly in his swivel chair Tuesday as Pima County Superior Court Judge Richard S. Fields examined
the verdicts that would decide his fate.
