LOGAN, Utah, July 22, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — The parents of a Logan infant have been charged with aggravated murder after their 46-day-old boy was found malnourished and unresponsive.
The infant, born in November with no known medical problems, was removed from life support after he was determined to have no brain activity, according to a probable cause statement filed in the case.
Charged in the case are Zachary Michael Woirhaye, 39, and Jodi Lee Anderson., 34. Each faces a charge of aggravated murder, a first-degree felony. Anderson faces an additional charge of obstruction of justice, s second-degree felony.
According to a statement from the Logan Police Department, on Dec. 31 of 2021, first responders were called to a hotel where rented by the family, which also included a 10-year-old son. Woirhaye was away, at his place of employment.
“The infant was found without a heartbeat and not breathing,” the police statement says.
“Life saving measures were taken, and the child was transferred to a local hospital, then ultimately to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. The child was removed from life support due to lack of brain activity, and passed away on Jan. 12, 2022.”
The probable cause statement filed for Woirhaye’s arrest says the baby boy’s cause of death was heart failure due to malnutrition. The statement says medical staff reported the infant arrived with wrinkled skin, “discolored and lacking muscle or fat,” adding the baby’s eyes were sunken.
Woirhaye and Anderson were booked into jail on Thursday afternoon, and are being held without bail.
“Multiple people told Jodi Anderson (Woirhaye) and Zachary Woirhaye that the feeding of (infant) was insufficient,” the probable cause statement says.
“Jodi had raised a child of her own while living with her family and should have been aware of the needs of an infant.
The medical provider for infant provided instruction to Jodi the need to feed the child every 2-3 hours. Additionally, Jodi was told to return for a follow-up check of weight 14 days later, which was not done.
“Zachary was told by multiple people the feeding was insufficient and needed to increase. Jodi admitted to Zachary the night before the cardiac arrest that the (infant) was not being fed for eight hours while he was at work.”
A search warrant found multiple cans of baby formula in the hotel room.
Gephardt Daily will have more information on the case is it develops.
