MAGNA, Utah, March 22, 2025 (Gephardt Daily) — A 25-year-old man was arrested Friday in Magna after his month-old son was found with mortal injuries days earlier.
Armando Valenzuela was arrested for the March 17 death of son Giovanni, born Feb. 12.
On March 14, police with the Unified Police Department responded to an apartment building after Valenzuela called dispatch to say his son was not conscious and not breathing.
“The 911 call reveals that the dispatcher provided Armando with instructions on how to provide CPR to Giovanni. The initial officer, upon arrival, noted the child did have a pulse; however, was not responsive and appeared to be limp.”
The baby’s mother was not home at the time of the initial call.
Valenzuela said “Giovanni was fussy, so he picked up the child. The child was then taken to the kitchen area where Armando was going to make his bottle. Armando stated he set the child down on the counter in the kitchen and the child began to scream even louder.
“Armando said he picked up the child and the child went limp. The child was transported to Primary Children’s Medical Center by the Unified Fire Authority.”
Upon the initial consultation at the hospital, “doctors noted that Giovanni’s right pupil was not responsive to light and that the left pupil was greater than the right pupil,” arrest documents say.
“This type of damage was consistent with retinal hemorrhaging…. The pediatric radiologist noted that Giovanni had both acute and healed fractures. An X-ray showed concern for acute and healing rib fractures.”
The baby died in the early hours of March 17 at Primary Children’s Hospital. An autopsy noted “a large amount of blood on the brain,” and several rib fractures “with bone calluses, and in different stages of healing.”
Valenzuela was arrested Friday at about 5 p.m. for investigation of:
- Murder, a first-degree felony
- Aggravated child abuse — intentionally or knowingly, a second-degree felony
“While enroute to the jail, Armando asked me about second chances and asked that if he were found guilty, do I believe he was a good enough person to get a second chance,” the court document says.
Valenzuela was ordered held without bail in the Salt Lake County jail system.
The baby’s mother has not been charged, according to current court records.
