Police in a Salt Lake City suburb say an infant’s parents were arrested on suspicion of child abuse homicide after the 4-month-old boy was found dead at a motel with bruises and a scratch on his neck.
Jose Alejandro Ramirez, 21, and Jessica Marie Lujan, 20, were staying at a Motel 6, 7263 S. Catalpa St., when the two got into a fight. Lujan told police, according to a probable cause statement, that she “became angry” at the baby for screaming during the fight and hit and scratched him.
(Photo courtesy of Salt Lake County jail) Jose Ramirez
Ramirez told police that after the fight, Lujan threw the baby into his carseat upside down. The baby lost consciousness. Lujan went to sleep and, after trying to take care of the unresponsive baby, so did Ramirez. Lujan told police she woke up about noon and found the baby was still unresponsive and not breathing.
According to the probable cause statement, Ramirez woke up Friday afternoon and saw the baby wasn’t conscious. Instead of calling 911, police said he tried CPR.
Lujan eventually called 911, but instead of talking to the dispatcher, she set the phone down and left the room, court documents say.
When Unified police — who were at the motel for an unrelated 911 call — arrived, they found bruises on the baby’s face and head, in addition to a scratch on his neck. Police said the baby, who was sick with an illness that required him to use an oxygen tank, was so gaunt that officers could make out his bone structure.
Ramirez and Lujan were booked into Salt Lake County jail on suspicion of child abuse homicide, a first-degree felony.
Online court records don’t list defense attorneys for Ramirez and Lujan.
Tribune reporter Paighten Harkins contributed to this story.
