Police: Baby dies after father punched her for ‘crying too much’

MESA, Ariz. (KPHO/Gray News) - A baby died after her father punched her for “crying too much,” according to police.

Mesa Police arrested 22-year-old Jonathan Enriquez on Wednesday. He is charged with first-degree murder and felony child abuse.

According to court papers, authorities received reports of a baby who was not breathing on July 11. When officers arrived, the baby was unresponsive and was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

At the scene, police noted inconsistencies about what happened from both parents. They claimed that the baby had fallen off the bed, and Enriquez admitted that he had been “quite forceful” while changing her diaper, telling detectives she would hit herself in the face. In that case, he said he admitted “frustration,” but denied hitting the girl.

Investigators were also initially told that the baby choked while being fed a bottle. Enriquez then told two other stories to authorities, first claiming that the baby fell out of a car seat and into a stroller, hitting her head at least once. He then claimed that the baby was hit by a seat buckle, causing bruising around her eyes.

Investigators later learned that Enriquez had texted the mother who had left for work, telling her she had to come home right away, saying the baby wasn’t breathing and he “messed up.”

At the hospital, doctors noted that she had a fractured skull, brain bleeding and bruising around her eyes, as well as a broken leg and rib bones, according to arresting documents. She was hospitalized for 15 days until she died on July 26.

Court paperwork noted that an autopsy revealed injuries that appeared to be the result of “slamming, crushing, or stomping,” and described the severity of many of those injuries as “catastrophic.”

On Wednesday, Mesa Police interviewed Enriquez again, where he reportedly admitted to punching the baby on the left side of her head because she had been “crying too much” while she was in her bassinette. During that interview, he allegedly also admitted to swaddling her tightly to get her to stop crying.

Enriquez expressed “deep remorse” for his actions and said he was ashamed of himself, according to court documents.

He is being held on a $1 million bond.