PHOENIX — A Phoenix father arrested for abusing his three-month-old daughter in 2017 begins his murder trial next month.
Court records show that on February 27, 2017, 29-year-old Jose Antonio Orellana-Ruiz reportedly threw bottles at his daughter's head, purposely dropped her on the bed, and threw her against a headboard, causing severe injuries to the child.
Phoenix police say that around 4 a.m. on the 27th, they received a call saying a 3-month-old child was unresponsive and had visible signs of injuries to her face and head at a home near 14th Street and Roosevelt.
Doctors allegedly told police the child was suffering from internal bleeding and a possible skull fracture.
The three-month-old was on life support for two days before she died.
Police say the child’s father requested that the infant's mother allow the child to spend the night at his home. He says the baby would not stop crying and coughing throughout the evening.
He allegedly admitted to losing his temper and throwing a full bottle of baby formula at the child’s head twice.
He also reportedly told police that the baby kept crying, so he lifted her up, dropped her on the bed, and threw her against the wooden headboard twice.
As the infant started having trouble breathing, Ruiz called a family member from another room who started CPR on the child and told him to call 911.
Ruiz is being held on a $1,000,000 bond on child abuse and first-degree murder charges.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office says his trial is scheduled to begin on February 20.
