SALT LAKE CITY — A mother and father were charged Tuesday related to the death of their three-month-old baby girl, who died at the hospital after receiving numerous injuries consistent with child abuse.
Israel Levi Gonzalez Gomez, 21, was charged with murder and child abuse homicide, first-degree felonies and child abuse for the death of his daughter. The child's mother, Andrea Samano Galeana, 20, was charged with one count of obstruction of justice.
On February 19, the couple's child, Dariana Elizabet Gonzalez-Samano was taken to the hospital with multiple injuries consistent with child abuse, documents read. She was pronounced deceased shortly after being taken to the hospital.
The infant suffered multiple cardiac arrests, brain bleeding, a traumatic cataract, and other injuries consistent with inflicted trauma or abuse, court documents state.
A final cause of death was not disclosed as the Medical Examiner's Office reported more tests needed to be done. Officials said there were signs of brain trauma and other injuries that were "very concerning."
When detectives interviewed Gonzalez Gomez, he initially did not disclose any information about how Dariana became injured, saying the infant was bathed and put to bed, before she started crying and eventually "went limp and pale."
Later, Gonzalez Gomez requested another interview to "tell the truth," and said while he was changing the baby's diaper, he reached to grab wipes from a far corner of the bed and she fell off the bed onto the floor.
"[He] stated it was an error to leave her on the edge of the bed and that is where she fell," charging documents state.
After she supposedly fell off the bed, Gonzalez Gomez said Dariana exhibited a red, swollen face and shortened breath. When the father put the baby in the crib, he told detectives she became limp and her heart stopped beating.
An interview from Galeana echoed that the infant was put to bed but cried for upwards of 15 minutes and would not calm down before going limp and pale.
Detectives seized the phone of both parents and found searches on the mother's phone such as, "Why did my 2-month baby vomit milk with blood in it?" "What to do if my 2-month baby is intoxicated?" and "Why does my baby have blood in their eye?"
Detectives also found text conversations between the couple in which the child was seen with bruises on her cheeks and red dots in and around her eyes.
When Galeana asked the father about the bruising, he said, “If I would have hit her, trust me, she would not stop bleeding," documents read in part.
“We mourn the death of Dariana, whose life had just begun. It is critical that we vigilantly look out for the welfare of our community’s children. If you see signs that may indicate harm being done to a child, please report your concerns to law enforcement so they can be investigated and the child may get the help they deserve,” said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. “We appreciate the work of West Valley City detectives investigating this challenging case. All persons accused of wrongdoing are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.”
