Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Gene Kennedy reportingEverado Mendoza originally was charged with child abuse. Now is charged with murder. He could be going to prison for a long time.
The Salt Lake district attorney says Mendoza shook his 2-month-old daughter to death.
Just days before Thanksgiving, the mother left the baby alone with her father, Everado Mendoza. He was caring for the 2-month-girl at their residence at the Inn Towne Suites at 48 W. 3300 South.
Court documents say Mendoza shook his baby so severely she suffered hemorrhages and retinal damage.
Officers put Mendoza in jail on suspicion of child abuse. But when the baby died the day after Thanksgiving, the district attorney upgraded the charges to include murder.
Back at the parents' residence at the Inn Towne Suites, South Salt Lake police served a search warrant there. They say they found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia within reach of several other children who live at the residence.
Mendoza faces multiple charges of child endangerment in addition to the murder charge.
Given the seriousness of this case, and the fact that Mendoza is in the U.S. illegally, he is in jail on a $1 million bail.
