Man Didn't Tell The Truth About Baby's Injuries, Didn't Want Child's Mother To Leave Him

[Sugar Cookie]

On Aug. 4, 2023, Coolidge police officers were called to a home for reports of an unresponsive baby. As emergency crews arrived, they attempted to save the girl’s life but were unsuccessful. She was rushed to the hospital but later died.

However, as the baby was being taken to the hospital, an officer noticed a bump forming on the left side of her head. However, both parents claimed that she hadn’t fallen recently. At the hospital, officers spoke with the girl’s mother and father, Bryan Herrera Ruiz. According to the parents, the mother left home to pick up her other kids just before 3 p.m., leaving Ruiz alone with the baby and a 3-year-old. Roughly an hour later, the mother got a call from Ruiz stating the baby wasn’t breathing and told the mother to call 911.

An autopsy was done on the baby girl, and doctors found she had four skull fractures caused by “blunt force trauma,” court paperwork states. Doctors also found the baby had hemorrhages due to her injuries. Her cause of death was ruled a homicide with head trauma.

Officials followed up with the girl’s parents, who had moved to Nevada. On Tuesday, Ruiz and the baby’s mother agreed to speak with detectives. The mother confirmed the girl was eating and sleeping as normal on the day of her death. She also reportedly told police she was only gone for 15-20 minutes before she received the phone call from Ruiz about the baby.

In the interview, Ruiz claimed the baby was often fussy, and he would take her into the shower to calm her down. Court paperwork states Ruiz he didn’t accidentally drop the girl and he didn’t know how she got the skull fractures. However, throughout the interview, Ruiz then changed his story and said he didn’t want to tell the truth because he didn’t want the baby’s mother to leave him.

Court documents state Ruiz told authorities the baby began crying, and when he went to pick her up, she slipped out of her blanket and fell head-first onto the ground. He then claimed he tried to use his knee to catch her but couldn’t. Police told Ruiz the fractures were caused by multiple occurrences, but he claimed the girl only fell once.

Baby had 4 skull fractures at time of death; father arrested in Pinal County

Ruiz told authorities the baby began crying and when he went to pick her up, she slipped out of her blanket and fell head-first onto the ground.

www.azfamily.com