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WEST VALLEY CITY — A 22-year-old man is charged with attempted murder after police say he held a knife to his 8-month-old baby's throat and sliced the mother's arm to the bone.
Cristian Venegas, of West Valley City, was charged Wednesday in 3rd District Court with two counts of aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony, and attempted murder, a second-degree felony. Venegas goes by the alias "Malo," according to court documents.
Police said the mother of Venegas' infant son took the baby to his home at about 3000 Festival Drive for a visit March 31, when they began to argue about ending their relationship. The woman started to leave the house, but heard the baby behind her on the porch.
When the woman turned around, Venegas picked up the baby and held a large hunting knife to his throat, charges state. He then ordered the baby's mother into the house.
When the woman turned around, Venegas picked up the baby and held a large hunting knife to his throat, charges state.
Inside the house, Venegas swung the knife at the woman, slicing her finger, according to the charges. When she raised her arm to block herself, as Venegas aimed for her throat, the woman's arm was cut down to the bone, charges state.
As the bleeding continued, Venegas wrapped the woman's arm in a shirt and took her to the hospital, threatening to kill her if she told hospital staff what had happened, according to the charges. The woman required emergency care and surgery to repair the tendons that had been cut in her arm, charges state.
Officers spotted Venegas near the woman's home on April 4 and stopped him. Venegas ran from officers, in handcuffs, toward the woman's home but was apprehended.
Venegas was also charged with tampering with a witness and commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child, both third-degree felonies, and failure to stop at an officer's command, a class A misdemeanor.
