This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A 44-year-old Midvale man has been charged with attempted aggravated murder for allegedly abusing a 6-month-old baby.
Juan Manuel Duran Jr. was charged Monday in 3rd District Court with attempted aggravated murder and aggravated sexual abuse of a child, both first-degree felonies, along with five counts of second-degree felony child abuse.
Police were called to an apartment located at 7923 S. Main Street on July 12, where Duran's girlfriend told police that she saw the man trying to suffocate her 6-month-old son with a towel, according to court documents.
The woman told police that Duran told her earlier that he wished the child was dead, and that he should "just throw him out the f—-ing window."
When the infant was taken to a local hospital, a pediatrician assessed the child and determined that the boy had been abused for weeks, and that the abuse could have killed or disabled him. The baby had bruises to his head, bite marks around his chest, and bruises on his spine, among other injuries, according to court records.
The woman told police that Duran had been living with her at the Midvale apartment for about a month, and watched the child frequently while she was working. She told police that she was aware that Duran was abusing her child, but did not report it because she was fearful for her own well-being.
Prosecutors also charged the mother with intentional child abuse, a second-degree felony, for not reporting the alleged abuse.
No court date has been set for Duran as of Monday afternoon.
Twitter: @jm_miller