ANGEL MENDOZA - 3 Months (2010) - Las Vegas NV

LAS VEGAS -- A father has been accused of biting his baby multiple times and injuring him with blunt force to his stomach, police said.At
about 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Metro officers responded to the 3900 block of
South Decatur Boulevard to investigate a report of an unresponsive
3-month-old. Arriving officers said they learned the victim had been
transported by medical personnel to a local hospital in critical
condition.Metro’s abuse and neglect detail investigated and
found the victim sustained injuries consistent with blunt force
abdominal trauma, as well as multiple injuries consistent with human
bites. The infant remains hospitalized in critical condition.Police
said the infant’s biological father and primary care giver, Andrew
Mendoza, 21, of Las Vegas, was arrested in connection with the crime.
He was booked into the Clark County Detention Center and charged with
eight counts of child abuse, child abuse with substantial bodily harm,
child neglect and child endangerment.Police had not yet released
a mug shot of Mendoza on Tuesday night but was expected to be released
on Wednesday morning. The investigation remains on-going.

A 21-year-old Las Vegas man accused of beating and biting his
3-month-old son has been charged with murder by child abuse in the boy’s
death, authorities said.

Andrew Mendoza also faces four counts of child abuse with substantial
bodily harm and two counts of child endangerment.

His son Angel was taken to University Medical Center in critical
condition Feb. 22 after Metro Police responded to the 3900 block of
South Decatur Boulevard to investigate a report of an unresponsive
infant.

The child died March 18, according to the Clark County coroner's
office.

An investigation revealed the infant suffered blunt force abdominal
trauma and multiple injuries consistent with human bites, police said.

Medical personnel advised officers that Angel had a non-displacement
fracture to the head, a laceration to the liver and internal bleeding
that could have been caused by his extensive injuries.

The police report also said the infant had three small bruises on the
forehead, bruising to both inner thighs, additional small circular
bruises on the back, abdomen and head, as well as a small laceration to
his right earlobe and adult-sized bite marks on his right arm, lower
chest, right ankle and lower back.

Authorities said Mendoza told officers he often bit, punched and
pinched his son in various places. He said he also threw bottles at his
son’s head when the boy refused to eat, the police report said.

Mendoza said he held Angel against his chest with both arms,
squeezing him so tight that the boy vomited on him in late February,
police said.

Authorities said Mendoza explained the bruises to the boy’s thighs
were from pinches. He reportedly told officers he pinched Angels’ thighs
because the boy wouldn’t stay still when he changed his diaper.

An arrest report said officers also found seven plastic bags of
marijuana during an inspection of the residence.

Mendoza said the marijuana belonged to him, and he smoked while
taking care of Angel, police said.

Police said 14.5 grams of marijuana and two pipes were seized from
the residence. No drug charges have been brought against Mendoza.

His preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. July 14. He is being
held in the Clark County Detention Center without bail.

Testimony began Wednesday against a Las Vegas man charged with murder by child abuse.




Andrew Mendoza is accused of shaking, beating
and biting his 3-month-old baby boy Angel to death. Mendoza says his boy
slipped out of his hands in the shower. But a University Medical Center
doctor says that can't begin to explain the unusual and severe injuries
the boy suffered.

The baby's mother took the stand.

"He was frustrated and he was sorry. I think
that's pretty much all he told me. He did tell me that he bit him, he
poked him, he pinched him, but he said no matter what anyone says, the
shower story was true," said Angel's mother Ashley Silverberg.

The child's mother testified she confronted
Mendoza about bruises on the baby's leg a month before the death. But
she decided to leave Angel with him, saying on the stand, "he was a good dad."

According to police, doctors and
Silverberg, Mendoza told them the baby slipped out of his arms while the
two were in the shower. It took a Las Vegas police officer nearly five
minutes of CPR to revive Angel, but UMC couldn't do much to stop the
brain swelling. Angel died at a hospice three weeks later.

A UMC pediatrician says the father's story
doesn't match up with the child's injuries. The "circular marks" she
describes are later explained as bite marks.

"He had circular marks on his upper arm and in
the right upper abdomen. He had two circles in the right lower back and
his lower calf. He had multiple bruises on his forehead. He also had a
bruise on his mid abdomen, on his left hip, along the spine on his back
-- three of them," said Dr. Cosolacion Saqueton.

Mendoza did not testify at the hearing. His
defense attorney cross examined witnesses about the timeline of the
injuries and whether there was any proof that he abused his own son.

Mendoza's family and friends in court refused to speak to the media.

In the coming weeks, a detective and another doctor are expected to testify at the next hearing.

Man admits he abused infant son
Man tells police he threw bottles at baby’s head

Friday, Feb. 26, 2010 | 1:26 p.m.

Father arrested after infant found with abdominal injuries, bite marks (2-23-10)
21-year-old Las Vegas man accused of beating and biting his 3-month-old son admitted to Metro Police that he abused the boy on numerous occasions, according to an arrest report.

Andrew Mendoza, 21, is charged with one count of child abuse with substantial bodily harm, eight counts of child abuse, and one count each of child neglect and child endangerment.

Authorities said Friday that Mendoza told officers he often bit, punched and pinched his son in various places. He said he also threw bottles at his son’s head when the boy refused to eat, the report said.

Police arrested Mendoza Tuesday after officers responded to the 3900 block of South Decatur Boulevard Feb. 23 to investigate a report of an unresponsive infant. When officers arrived they learned medical personnel had taken the boy to the hospital.

Mendoza told officers that he was taking a shower and holding his son, Angel, in his arms when he slipped and fell, police said. Officers said the baby was found dry on the bedroom floor.

Police said mother, Ashley Silverberg, was in Arizona visiting family when the incident occurred.

The boy was taken to University Medical Center in critical condition and an investigation revealed the infant suffered blunt force abdominal trauma and multiple injuries consistent with human bites, police said.

Medical personnel advised officers that Angel has a non-displacement fracture to head, a laceration to the liver and internal bleeding that could have been caused by his extensive injuries.

The report also said the infant has three small bruises on the forehead, bruising to both inner thighs, additional small circular bruises on the back, abdomen and head, as well as a small laceration to his right earlobe and adult-sized bite marks on his right arm, lower chest area, right ankle and lower back.

Mendoza told police he bit his son on Feb. 20 after being awakened by the boy. He also said that he would get very frustrated with Angel and squeeze him tightly to stop him from crying. A week ago, he said he held Angel against his chest with both arms, squeezing him so tight that the boy vomited on him, police said.

Authorities said Mendoza explained the bruises to the boy’s thighs were from pinches. He told officers he pinched Angels’ thighs because the boy wouldn’t lie still when he changed his diaper, so he would pinch him.

An arrest report said officers also found seven plastic bags of marijuana during an inspection of the residence. Mendoza said the marijuana belonged to him, and he smokes while taking care of Angel, police said.

Police said 14.5 grams of marijuana and two pipes were seized from the residence. No drug charges have been brought against Mendoza yet.

This morning he appeared via video link before Justice of the Peace Tony Abbatangelo Friday for a 48-hour hearing. Abbatangelo set a status check for 7:30 a.m. March 1 to give councils more time to prepare for the case.

Mendoza bowed his head and timidly asked Abbatangelo if he knew the status of his son. Abbatangelo said he did not have that information.

Mendonza is being held in the Clark County Detention Center on $29,000 bail.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/26/man-admits-he-abused-infant-son/

07/14/2011			Calendar Call (9:00 AM) (Judicial Officer Herndon, Douglas W.)
07/18/2011			Jury Trial (10:00 AM) (Judicial Officer Herndon, Douglas W.)

https://www.clarkcountycourts.us/Anonymous/CaseDetail.aspx?CaseID=7690290

07/18/2011 CANCELED Jury Trial (10:00 AM) (Judicial Officer Herndon, Douglas W.)
Vacated - per Judge

08/18/2011 Status Check (9:00 AM) (Judicial Officer Herndon, Douglas W.)
Status Check: Test results/ Trial Setting

https://www.clarkcountycourts.us/Anonymous/CaseDetail.aspx?CaseID=7690290

08/18/2011 Status Check (9:00 AM) (Judicial Officer Herndon, Douglas W.)
Status Check: Test results/ Trial Setting

Minutes
08/18/2011 9:00 AM

- Lisa Luzaich, Deputy District Attorney present on behalf of the State. Defendant Mendoza present, in custody, represented by Joseph Abood, Deputy Public Defender. Ms. Luzaich advised that this was Ms. Monroe's case, and since Ms. Monroe has retired, this case was given to her on Tuesday. Ms. Luzaich requested that matter be continued for her to review the file and try to resolve with Mr. Abood, before proceeding further setting matter for trial and retaining experts . Mr. Abood concurred. COURT ORDERED, matter CONTINUED. CUSTODY 9/1/11 9:00 AM STATUS CHECK: NEGOTIATION


https://www.clarkcountycourts.us/Anonymous/CaseDetail.aspx?CaseID=7690290&HearingID=124691676&SingleViewMode=Minutes

09/01/2011 Status Check (9:00 AM) (Judicial Officer Herndon, Douglas W.)
09/01/2011, 09/08/2011
Status Check: Negotiation

Minutes
09/01/2011 9:00 AM

- Lisa Luzaich, Deputy District Attorney present on behalf of the State. Defendant Mendoza present, in custody, represented by Joseph Abood, Deputy Public Defender. Mr. Abood advised that he spoke with Ms. Luzaich this morning and they are close to a negotiation and therefore are requesting a one week continuance. COURT ORDERED, matter CONTINUED. CONTINUED TO: 9/8/11 9:00 AM

09/08/2011 9:00 AM

https://www.clarkcountycourts.us/Anonymous/CaseDetail.aspx?CaseID=7690290&HearingID=125308277&SingleViewMode=Minutes

09/15/2011 Guilty Plea Agreement
12/15/2011 Sentencing (9:00 AM) (Judicial Officer Herndon, Douglas W.)
Sentencing Count 2-7 / Dismissal Count 1

https://www.clarkcountycourts.us/Anonymous/CaseDetail.aspx?CaseID=7690290

A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to 16 to 54 years in prison for the 2010 beating death of his 3-month-old son.

Andrew Mendoza in December pleaded guilty to six counts of child abuse for the death of Angel Mendoza. As part of a plea deal, prosecutors dropped a murder charge.

Andrew Mendoza was sentenced Jan. 5 by District Judge Douglas Herndon.

According to court documents, Mendoza at first said his son's injuries were caused by a fall in the bathtub.

But doctors didn't believe him when the boy was first taken to University Medical Center with a skull fracture and a lacerated liver in February 2010. The boy also had adult-sized bite marks and bruises all over his body and widespread retinal hemorrhaging consistent with having been shaken.

Mendoza later admitted to investigators he physically abused the boy, authorities said.

Angel Mendoza died March 18, 2010, according to the Clark County coroner's office.

http://www.lvrj.com/news/father-gets-16-to-54-years-in-prison-in-infant-s-death-137532423.html?ref=423

ppl charged with murder shouldnt b able to plea deals-they should b stripped of their rights just as they stripped their victims of their rights. of course, the judicial system will have some convoluted theory on how this will b wrong, but we have got to come down on these ppl and let them know that we mean business.