COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah, Aug. 8, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — A Cottonwood Heights man is facing charges of child abuse and child abuse homicide in the death last year of his wife’s 19-month-old daughter.
Jake Don Jensen, 29, has been booked into the Salt Lake County Jail.
The charges stem from incidents in late 2015 and early 2016. In both, the child was left in Jensen’s care. The toddler had been born prematurely, and suffered from cerebral palsy and developmental delays.
According to court documents, the baby appeared to have suffered a seizure in November of 2015. Emergency crews were called, but the seizure had passed and the toddler’s vital signs had returned to normal. EMT’s urged the girl’s mother to take her to the doctor. Court documents indicate she did not.
In January of 2016, the girl experienced another seizure while in Jensen’s care, which he described as different from the earlier attack. The baby was rushed to the hospital, but never regained consciousness.
Court documents say the child suffered a non-survivable injury caused by lack of oxygen to her brain.
Multiple doctors suggested the injuries might be a result of child abuse, the document said. One of the toddler’s legs was broken, and she had head and eye injuries. Doctors said the injuries were not ones the child could have inflicted on herself, and said the death was a homicide.
Jensen’s bail has been set at $500,000.
