JALIYA RIVERA - 4 Months (2010) - Orlando FL

An infant girl was severely injured this week after being left alone with her father.Luis Omar Rivera, 26, faces charges of aggravated child abuse and attempted felony murder after his 4-month-old daughter was hospitalized Thursday.Doctors told Orlando police the infant was likely struck in the head, suffering several skull fractures and had some missing bone fragments.Charges against Rivera could be upgraded if the girl dies.
                                   Rivera's arrest affidavit detailed the events that led to the girl's hospitalization.Rivera's wife told police she left for work about 6:30 a.m. Thursday and her daughter was normal and healthy. She awakened her husband before she left their Semoran Boulevard apartment and told him to watch the baby because she was waking up, the affidavit states.Rivera told investigators he got up to feed the baby and they both fell back asleep in the same bed. When he awakened a short time later, he realized the girl had a dirty diaper. Rivera said he put his daughter on the floor to change her diaper and noticed she was not acting strangely and had stopped breathing.Rivera then called his mother for help, instead of an ambulance, because he said they could not afford to pay for one.When Rivera's mother arrived, she called 911.About the same time, Rivera's wife called to check on the baby and he told her the baby's head was "swollen." Rivera's wife left work and drove home.An ambulance took the infant to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, while Rivera and his wife followed in her car.Once at the hospital, doctors determined the girl's injuries could have been caused from shaking and being hit in the head, the report states. There also was bleeding in her brain, which could be fatal.Rivera was interviewed by police and told them he was the only person home when his daughter was injured, but claims he doesn't know what happened because he was asleep.Rivera was held Friday night without bail at the Orange County Jail.

Police confirmed Monday that a 4-month-old girl who suffered serious injuries while she was left alone with her father died on Friday. Jaliya Rivera suffered at least two blows to the head, causing several skull fractures. Authorities said bone fragments also were missing from her skull.

The girl's father, Luis Omar Rivera, is charged with aggravated child abuse and attempted felony murder. Orlando police homicide detectives are now pursuing a first-degree murder charge against him. Rivera was interviewed by police and told them he was the only person home when his daughter was injured, but claims he doesn't know what happened because he was asleep. Rivera told investigators he got up to feed the baby and they both fell back asleep in the same bed early Thursday morning after his wife left for work.

07/25/2011			Trial (8:00 AM) (Judicial Officer Arnold, C Jeffery) Added because of a Courtroom Walk In Parties Present Result: Hearing Held
07/25/2011			Court Minutes
07/25/2011			Per the Court: On July 7, 2011, the Court Rescheduled a Mental Health and Trial Status Hearing to 10/03/2011 at 8:30 a.m.
07/29/2011			Notice of Provision of Supplemental Discovery

http://myclerk.myorangeclerk.com/CaseDetail.aspx?CaseID=7472327

I received a PM today from somebody connected very close to the baby and her family.
This person wanted all of us associated with J4C that they appreciate our vigilance in seeking justice for Jaliya and all children who are mistreated or murdered by those who should be protecting them.
Thank you for writing and yes, if you would like to post a picture of the little one we would welcome it as a lasting memorial to her short life.
May the peace of our Lord and Savior heal your pain and bring you comfort.

10/04/2011 Status Hearing (8:30 AM) (Judicial Officer Arnold, C Jeffery)
Mental Health
Parties Present
Result: Hearing Held
10/04/2011 Court Minutes
10/04/2011 Per the Court:
Attorney Sherlene Cruz out Ill. This Hearing to be Reset with Juridical Assistant by Defense Attorney
10/03/2011 CANCELED Status Hearing (8:30 AM) (Judicial Officer Arnold, C Jeffery)
Cancelled

http://myclerk.myorangeclerk.com/CaseDetail.aspx?CaseID=7472327

11/17/2011 Status Hearing (8:30 AM) (Judicial Officer Arnold, C Jeffery)

http://myclerk.myorangeclerk.com/CaseDetail.aspx?CaseID=7472327

01/31/2012 Status Hearing (8:30 AM) (Judicial Officer Arnold, C Jeffery)

http://myclerk.myorangeclerk.com/CaseDetail.aspx?CaseID=7472327

01/27/2014 Trial  (9:00 AM) (Judicial Officer Wooten, Wayne C)

http://myclerk.myorangeclerk.com/CaseDetail.aspx?CaseID=7472327

Trial for Justice for Jaliyah

From Guest To mom_in_il, Today at 8:23 am
I just wanted to update you guys at J4c that we are at the end of the trial for Justice for Jaliyah...so far everything is looking good...

Sender e-mail address: XXXXX@gmail.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for the update!

Doctor testifies about infant's injuries in father's murder trial
Luis Omar Rivera, 29, is charged with first-degree murder in 4-month-old Jaliya's death.

By Jeff Weiner, Orlando Sentinel
12:14 p.m. EST, January 29, 2014

Jurors in the trial of a man charged with murdering his four-month-old daughter heard testimony Thursday about the "catastrophic" nature of the brain injuries that led to the girl's death.

Luis Omar Rivera, 29, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his daughter, Jaliya Rivera, who was fatally injured while in his care in November 2010, according to authorities.

Dr. Stephen Nelson, a Winter Haven-based medical examiner who consulted on the case, testified Wednesday that Jaliya suffered skull fractures and numerous brain injuries before she died.

Some of the bruises predated the fatal injuries, Nelson testified.

"This child was, more likely that not, abused in the past," he said.

Nelson said the girl's multiple skull fractures would have required a "tremendous amount of force." He agreed when a prosecutor described the girl's head injuries as "catastrophic."

After such an injury, "unless you get to the hospital and have some sort of emergency care, the child's going to die," he said.

According to police reports, doctors who examined the girl said her injuries were likely caused by abuse, including being shaken and struck on her head.

Prosecutors rested their case Wednesday. A doctor is expected to testify for his defense Thursday, followed by closing arguments and jury deliberations.

After the state rested, Rivera's public defender, Gerod Hooper, asked Circuit Judge Frederick Lauten to throw out the first-degree murder charge.

"There is no evidence of premeditation," Hooper said, arguing second-degree murder or manslaughter were more appropriate charges. "If anything, the evidence points to some angry, violent, spontaneous outburst."

Prosecutor Pam Davis said the state doesn't have to prove premeditation — just that Rivera committed a felony which resulted in Jaliya's death.

Lauten denied Hooper's motion. Rivera faces life in prison if convicted as charged.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-child-abuse-murder-trial-20140129,0,2191437.story

Father guilty of murder, aggravated child abuse in daughter's death

January 30, 2014|By Desiree Stennett, Orlando Sentinel

January 30, 2014|By Desiree Stennett, Orlando Sentinel
A stay-at-home father left to care for his 4-month-old daughter the day she died is responsible for the "catastrophic" injuries that killed the little girl about three years ago, a jury decided Thursday afternoon.

Luis Omar Rivera, 29, was convicted of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse charges after his infant daughter Jaliya Rivera died of blunt-force head trauma which caused multiple skull fractures in November 2010.

Jaliya's mother, Sadie Diaz, and her family sobbed silently as the verdict was read.

"I died on November 19, 2010," Diaz said to Rivera before he was sentenced to life in prison for his daughter's death. "You were a heartless monster who couldn't just love your own daughter. My heart is completely broken."

According to prosecutor Pam Davis, Jaliya was a "bubbly" baby who was still too young to roll over on her own. Rivera cared for the child while his wife worked.

Every morning the couple would wake up about 6:30 a.m. so Diaz could prepare for work and Rivera could feed their daughter. That's how the day started on Nov.18, 2010.

When he was interviewed by police, Rivera said he fed his daughter early that morning then went back to bed. When he woke up a short time later to change the little girl's diaper, that's when he realized his daughter wasn't breathing.

Rivera told police he called his mother instead of 911 because he didn't have the money to pay for an expensive ambulance. His daughter spent the night in the hospital and was pronounced dead the next day.

Since that day, Rivera has maintained that he was not responsible for his daughter's severe injuries.

Rivera's attorney, Gerod Hooper, called the police work that let to Rivera's arrest a "make-it-fit" investigation.

"The facts don't fit, so you make it fit," he said to the jury during his closing statement.

Although he agreed with doctors who said Jaliya's wounds were not accidental, he said there was no way to know for sure if Rivera was responsible for inflicting them or if she died from injuries that were inflicted on Nov. 18 or another day when someone else was caring for the infant.

But after 5 hours of deliberation, those seeds of doubt did not resonate with the jury. Rivera said nothing as his sentence was handed down.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2014-01-30/news/os-child-murder-luis-omar-rivera-20140130_1_jaliya-rivera-luis-omar-rivera-child-abuse