St. George Mom Pleads Guilty After 4MO Infant Found With Fractured Skull, Lower Jaw & Ribs

[Sugar Cookie]

A St. George mom charged with aggravated child abuse after her 4-month-old infant arrived at the hospital with multiple fractures entered a plea this week to avoid stiffer charges.

During a review hearing held Thursday at the 5th District Court in St. George, Jessica Lynn Archuleta, 27, pleaded guilty to three third-degree felony counts of aggravated child abuse and one count of tampering with a witness. The guilty plea was made under the terms of a plea agreement, which Prosecutor Jerry Jaeger said was the only offer on the table; otherwise, the state was considering adding an enhancement on the aggravated child abuse charges.

The case was filed after Archuleta brought her 4-month-old infant to St. George Regional Hospital on Jan. 19. The baby had a cut under her nose, which Archuleta said happened when the child fell off a bed.

After physicians found the infant suffering from more injuries, which included a skull fracture that reportedly caused brain bleeding and multiple broken ribs, the baby was flown to Primary Children’s Hospital and police were called.

Further testing at the hospital in Salt Lake City revealed at least six broken ribs in varying stages of healing, along with a fracture to her mandible, or lower jaw, also in a healing stage.

Archuleta reportedly told investigators that she and her boyfriend were the sole caretakers of the infant. She said she had been frustrated with the baby because of the crying and that she had a “heavy hand” and may have been too rough with the infant, investigators said.

A witness told officers that while holding the baby during a visit, she noticed the infant seemed to cry out in pain whenever she was moved or held.

The judge ordered a mental health and substance abuse evaluation, as well as a presentence investigation to be completed prior to the sentencing hearing scheduled to take place July 31 at the 5th District Court in St. George.

The infant was turned over to the care of the Division of Child and Family Services following her release from the hospital. Jaeger said the baby is still in foster care.

St. George mom pleads guilty to aggravated child abuse after infant found with skull fracture

A St. George mom charged with aggravated child abuse after her 4-month-old infant arrived at the hospital with multiple fractures entered a plea this week to avoid stiffer charges.

www.stgeorgeutah.com

 

[Mazikeen69]

Horrible mom if u can call Tha monster a mother

 

[thuumpr]

Archuleta reportedly told investigators that she and her boyfriend were the sole caretakers of the infant. She said she had been frustrated with the baby because of the crying and that she had a “heavy hand” and may have been too rough with the infant, investigators said.


Heavy hand? Surprised you didn't kick the kid in the head (but then you might've).

Is this a new generational trend to batter, abuse, and break their kids?

 

[BuffettGirl]

@thuumpr - I think yes. Millennials, Gen Z and Gen Alpha have been so progressively infantalize with the faux fairness, "everyone gets a trophy", bullshit that they react like literal children when they're frustrated. That's my theory at any rate.

 

[Sugar Cookie]

A St. George mom charged with aggravated child abuse appeared before the judge for sentencing after her infant arrived at the hospital with multiple fractures several months ago.

Jessica Lynn Archuleta, 27, who pleaded guilty to three third-degree felony counts of aggravated child abuse and one count of tampering with a witness, stood before District Judge Keith C. Barnes.

Physicians noted the infant was suffering from other injuries, including a skull fracture that caused brain bleeding and multiple broken ribs. The baby was flown to Primary Children’s Hospital and police were called.

Further testing in Salt Lake City revealed at least six broken ribs in varying stages of healing, along with a fracture to the girl's mandible, or lower jaw, also in a healing stage. Criminal charges were filed and Archuleta was arrested shortly thereafter.

The sentencing hearing opened with an argument by Prosecutor Jerry Jaeger, who said he was “absolutely shocked” by the recommended sentencing range of 0-180 days in jail for “such a horrific crime.”

Jaeger was referring to the presentence report compiled by Adult Probation and Parole.

“This clearly shows either our system is broken when it comes to the presentence investigations, or there was a major mistake on this presentence investigation,” he said.

Jaeger said he was unable to reach the investigator who compiled the report, but intends to follow up to find out why such a recommendation would be presented to the court.

The prosecutor said in his opinion, this was “a clear prison case,” based on Archuleta's criminal history, as well as a “history of abusing children,” including another child previously removed from her custody.

“But specifically involving this case,” Jaeger said. “We’re talking about a 3-month-old child that was abused over and over and over again.”

Jaeger said had the case been filed after the recent torture bill passed in Utah, instead of before, then Archuleta would have been charged with a first-degree felony that came with a significant sentence. The prosecutor then asked the court to sentence Archuleta to prison and to prohibit her from being around children once she is released.

“That's where she belongs, in prison,” Jaeger said. “And for as long as the prison can hold her.”

Defense attorney Russell Pietryga said that his client has taken responsibility for her actions.

“She recognizes that she has a problem,” Pietryga said.

Archuleta relinquished her parental rights to the child, which is a death sentence, Pietryga said.

He then asked that his client be placed on probation, which would allow the court to keep tabs on Archuleta for the next several years.

Archuleta told the court she refused to believe she was the mother who did not care for her daughter, as the state contended. She was suffering from postpartum depression after her child was born and told the judge that more than anything else, she “trusted the wrong people.”

Her infant daughter would fuel her to live a better life and to follow all court recommendations, Archuleta said. She said she loved her daughter enough to give the baby a better life and the infant is now safe.

“I'm gonna show the state that I'm somebody that can recover and I'm going to recover,” Archuleta said.

Barnes started addressing the court by referring to the defendant’s statements that she gave, or will give, the child the best life possible.

The CAT scans, however, revealed a different story indicating the infant suffered a skull fracture, a brain bleed and broken ribs at various stages of healing, at least two of which were inflicted at approximately 10 days before the baby was flown to Primary Children’s Hospital, the judge said.

“I agree with the state," Barnes said. "This is horrible.”

The judge also mentioned the 12 prior cases filed against Archuleta, and disciplinary problems while in jail, including two incidents while she has been incarcerated in the current case.

Instead of describing what her baby went through during the abuse, Archuleta made self-serving statements and described herself as a loving mother in court, Barnes continued.

The judge also said that while the investigation indicated that Archuleta had a rough life, “that does not give you the right at any time to inflict this kind of serious injury on particularly someone that's in your trust — your 3-month-old daughter.”

At the end of court, Archuleta was sentenced to serve 0-5 years in Utah State Prison on each of the three aggravated child abuse charges and 0-5 years on the witness tampering charge. The first two sentences were ordered to run consecutive to one another, while the remaining charges were ordered to run concurrently.

‘Such a horrific crime’: St. George mom who cracked infant’s skull and ribs faces sentencing

A St. George mom charged with aggravated child abuse appeared before the judge for sentencing after her infant arrived at the hospital with multiple fractures several months ago.

www.stgeorgeutah.com

 

[Busy Bee]

So this brute breaks the wee babes jaw and ribs and gets upset when she screams in pain??!! The female then goes on to tell the court that she’s a good mother but plagued by post partum depression! She should have to be sterilized to insure she will never have a new victim! This is the second time she’s had her children removed from her care! She should have to be in prison till she’s too old to reproduce!