The Accused
A 21-year-old Idaho man has been taken into custody and charged in connection with the tragic death of his 2-month-old daughter.
Roger Aaron Denig is facing a first-degree murder charge following the passing of Ammarie Denig, as stated in an affidavit of probable cause obtained by East Idaho News.
On Wednesday morning, a distressing 911 call was made by the girl's mother, who reported that her daughter was unresponsive.
The entire Denig family, including the father, rushed her to a local hospital in Lemhi County.
During the journey, Roger Denig attempted CPR, while the mother repeatedly expressed concern about their baby's breathing, which went from faint to non-existent.
En route to the hospital, an ambulance intercepted the family, and paramedics noticed yellow bruises on the baby's forehead and upper body, indicating older injuries.
The defendant informed the paramedics that his daughter had a congenital condition called laryngomalacia, which causes breathing difficulties.
The child was initially revived at Steele Memorial Medical Center in Salmon but was then transferred to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center and subsequently to Primary Children's Hospital.
A doctor specializing in child abuse and neglect at the latter facility determined that the baby's brain was no longer functioning.
Further examination revealed tearing of the brain, retinal hemorrhage in both eyes, and multiple broken ribs in various stages of healing.
The doctor concluded that Ammarie Denig had suffered traumatic brain injuries consistent with shaken baby syndrome.
Despite being on life support for several days, the baby tragically passed away on Friday night.
An autopsy later confirmed the presence of additional healing broken ribs and determined that the cause of death was a traumatic head injury.
During the investigation, the infant's parents were questioned.
According to the mother's account, they had left the baby with her grandmother twice on the day of the incident while they went to the dump.
When they returned home, the mother and daughter lay down, and the baby woke up crying, prompting the father to take her to another room to soothe her in a rocking chair.
The mother fell asleep but was awakened by her husband's distressed voice, informing her that their daughter couldn't breathe and had turned blue.
Both parents offered explanations for the injuries. The mother suggested the rough road to the hospital or lack of oxygen caused the traumatic brain injury, while the defendant mentioned patting the baby too hard, resulting in crackling noises and broken ribs.
However, a detective raised doubts about these explanations, believing that the infant's injuries were not accidental but a result of intentional and deliberate abuse.
Roger Denig was arrested in Lemhi County on Saturday and appeared in court on Monday, where Magistrate Judge Andrew Woolf set his bail at $500,000.
He is currently being held in the Lemhi County Jail, and his next court appearance is scheduled for July 7, 2023.
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