In Mesa, Arizona, the wailing of a 4-week-old girl ended almost unexpectedly when her father admitted to hitting her as and when he pleased, which led to a series of fatal injuries that ultimately cost her life.
The Mesa Police Department in Arizona has now charged 22-year-old Jonathan Enriquez with first-degree murder and child abuse.
This only happened after days of investigation and multiple accounts, when Arizona authorities say Enriquez finally confessed to hitting his baby daughter in the head because she kept “crying too much.”
Shortly before 9 a.m. on July 11, police were called to a Covina Street apartment complex in Arizona after receiving reports of a “baby not breathing.” The child was taken to the hospital in serious condition after first responders carried out life-saving measures.
She was first alleged to have choked while being bottle-fed. However, that fake story was disproved by medical examinations that followed.
Multiple injuries, including a fractured skull, broken leg, broken ribs, brain bleeding, and bruising around her eyes, had been identified by the doctors “in various stages of healing.” Because of the extreme nature of the findings, an autopsy determined that they had probably been triggered by “slamming, crushing, or stomping.” In court documents, several were referred to as “catastrophic.”
The baby was declared dead on July 26 after spending more than two weeks in a hospital.
Enriquez first denied hitting his child, according to court documents that local media outlets like KPNX-TV got their hands on. He gave a variety of explanations instead, such as the baby being hit by a seat belt buckle or falling from a car seat into a stroller.
Investigators found out, though, that he admitted using “quite forceful” methods to change her diaper and that he got frustrated by her sobbing. He texted the baby’s mother to tell her to come home from work because he had “messed up” and the baby wasn’t breathing.
Arizona police claim that after more interrogation, Enriquez finally admitted to hitting the infant in her bassinet on the left side of her head because she was “crying too much.”
⚠️ WARNING: This post contains graphic descriptions of a child’s death & abuse.
Jonathan Enriquez, 22, has been charged with first-degree murder & felony child abuse after allegedly beating his 4-week-old daughter, Vivian Gardner, to death because she “was crying too much.”… pic.twitter.com/hFYXnzCeOV
— True Crime Updates (@TrueCrimeUpdat) August 9, 2025
In subsequent interviews, Enriquez expressed “deep remorse.” He now awaits trial whilst being held on a $1 million bond.
The newborn’s injuries were typical of severe blunt-force trauma, according to the autopsy results, which provided a heartbreaking view. Rib breaks, brain hemorrhage, and skull fractures suggested multiple attacks rather than a single accidental event.
Doctors pointed out that such injuries would have caused terrible pain and were at odds with a newborn’s survival. Rather than a single act of violence, the fact that many injuries were in varying stages of healing suggested constant abuse.
Arizona police records show the baby’s mother was at work when the incident took place. Authorities are not saying whether she is facing charges as of yet, despite her reported absence from the crime scene.
JUST IN: A 22-year-old man is facing first-degree murder for the death of his four-week-old child in Mesa. Police say Jonathan Enriquez admitted to striking his child. https://t.co/7T1h2AteW1
— ABC15 Arizona (@abc15) August 7, 2025
The Mesa Police Department has called on the public to be on guard and report any suspected abuse. In accordance with their statement, one should always report suspected child abuse by making a call to the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453.
Prosecutors are projected to claim that Enriquez’s acts were deliberate and a part of a pattern of rising violence as the case progresses through the legal system. Defense lawyers have not yet made any public comments.
This Arizona case serves as a symbol of the risks that newborns in violent homes face, as well as the effects of uncontrolled anger.
