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A 19-year-old Midvale man has been charged with murder and child abuse in the death last year of his infant son.
Zachary Joe Sandoval made an initial appearance on Monday in 3rd District Court, where he is charged with first-degree felony murder and three counts of second-degree felony child abuse in connection with the 3 1/2 month old baby boy.
The baby, identified in court documents at T.S., was pronounced dead on Nov. 1 after Sandoval, then 18, and the child's 16-year-old mother brought the unresponsive child to the Riverton Hospital.
An autopsy later determined the child died from "blunt force injuries to the head, with associated trauma to the torso all consistent with non-accidental trauma ... ," according to charging documents.
The autopsy also revealed evidence of possible attempted strangulation or suffocation, a fresh rib fracture, and an older, healing fracture of the collarbone, charges state.
Sandoval told police investigators that he took over the care of the infant at about 11:30 p.m. that night, and that he was keeping the baby up late so he would sleep through the night.
Sandoval told police that he was watching television with the baby when, at about 3:10 a.m., he found the child was "floppy" and would not respond, charges state
He woke the child's mother and they attempted CPR, then took the boy to the hospital in their car, charges state.
Sandoval's sister later told police that he and the baby's mother "were having a hard time adjusting to parenthood," and that she was looking after the baby about once a week because the parents were "frustrated with T.S.," charges state.
A scheduling hearing in the case is set for July 17.
Sandoval was being held at the Salt Lake County jail in lieu of $1 million bail, cash-only.
Meanwhile, Sandoval has two other pending court cases.
He is charged with second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor for creating a video found on his cell phone that shows him having sex with the mother of T.S.
He also is charged with two counts of aggravated assault for allegedly pointing a firearm at a plumber and a property manager last August in Midvale. The alleged victims were trying to locate a water line when they asked Sandoval to enter the residence to look at the plumbing, charges state. Sandoval responded by getting a rifle and threatening to use it unless the two men left, charges state.