Moises Rodriguez via Bexar County Jail
A 34-year-old father in Texas was arrested for allegedly beating his baby son to death earlier this month.
Moises Rodriguez was taken into custody on Wednesday and charged with one count of intentional injury to a child causing serious bodily injury, a first-degree felony, in the death of his 2-month-old son, court records reviewed by Law&Crime show.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by San Antonio ABC affiliate KSAT-TV, Rodriguez on Oct. 17 brought his son to a local hospital. The child was reportedly not breathing and appeared to have bruising on his chest. The baby, who was reportedly named Grayson, was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the facility.
In an interview with investigators, Rodriguez reportedly said that he was taking care of the baby alone while the child’s mother went to the gym. Rodriguez claimed that he was “multitasking” by carrying his son as well as several other items when he accidentally dropped the boy on the hardwood floor, the affidavit reportedly said. Rodriguez reportedly told police that the child fell approximately three or four feet and landed face first when he hit the ground.
Rodriguez reportedly said that he performed CPR on his son and called the child’s mother. After the call, the child’s mother reportedly rushed home and she and Rodriguez brought their son to the hospital, per police.
The medical staff at the hospital reportedly told investigators that the baby did not appear to have any obvious signs of trauma, as the bruising on his chest was initially believed to be the result of Rodriguez performing CPR on the boy. However, the autopsy reportedly showed that the child’s internal injuries were far more severe than doctors initially believed.
In the autopsy report, the medical examiner determined that Grayson’s cause of death was blunt force trauma to the chest that caused a “lacerated heart,” Oklahoma City CW affiliate KOKH-TV reported. The medical examiner also reportedly found that Grayson had sustained multiple broken ribs in various stages of healing — a telltale indicator of ongoing physical abuse.
“These were rib fractures in various stages of the healing process suggesting [Grayson] had sustained serious trauma to the chest multiple times throughout [Grayson’s] brief life,” the affidavit reportedly states.
Medical professionals reportedly told investigators that the severity of Grayson’s injuries did not comport with story Rodriguez told about simply dropping the child. When pressed about his son’s injuries, Rodriguez reportedly “did not provide a plausible explanation,” per the affidavit.
Authorities issued an arrest warrant for Rodriguez on Wednesday and he was taken into custody the same day. He is currently being held in the Bexar County Jail, online records show. A judge set his bond at $125,000.
Rodriguez appeared in court on Thursday and a pre-hearing proceeding was scheduled for Dec. 20. If convicted, Rodriguez faces up to life in prison.
[image via Bexar County Jail]
Follow Law&Crime:
