EAGLE MOUNTAIN, Utah, Sept. 25, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Court documents reveal new details after the arrest of an Eagle Mountain mother for alleged child abuse homicide in the death of her infant son.
Raona Dorothy Mora, 32, was arrested Monday after the 4-month-old boy was Life Flighted to an area hospital and was determined to have severe head trauma, multiple skull fractures, and extensive brain hemorrhages.
The infant was first Life Flighted toward Primary Children’s Hospital, in Salt Lake City, but it was then determined “the 4-month-old baby required immediate advanced care which could not be delayed,” so he was taken to Primary Children’s Hospital in Lehi.
The Utah County Sheriff detective who filed Mora’s affidavit says he first responded to the mother’s residence, and deputies told him “the mother of the 4-month-old baby boy had, without provocation, reenacted the incident which was explained as the mother, Mrs. Raona Mora, having fallen asleep on the bedside whilst holding the 4-month-old baby boy and fallen to the ground atop the baby.”
The detective later learned from an officer who had spoken with an attending physician that “the injuries that the 4-month-old baby boy had sustained were in fact, unsurvivable and that life-saving measures would be stopped. The 4-month-old baby boy was pronounced deceased at Primary Children’s Hospital.”
In a voluntary interview, Mora told her story, this time stating she did not fall on top of the baby from the bed, which is a boxspring and mattress with a top surface 18 inches off the floor, the affidavit says.
“Raona stated that she had awoken on her back, with the 4-month-old baby still in her arms, when the baby was taken by the father. Raona stated that she had gotten up and taken the 4-month-old baby back from the father and attempted to soothe the crying baby.
“Raona went on to state that she noticed the 4-month-old baby…breathing oddly… At this point, Raona reported that she awoke her husband, who had gone back to sleep, and then summoned emergency services.
“The attending Doctors at Primary Children’s Hospital stated that there is no possibility that the extensive and life-ending injuries sustained by the 4-month-old baby boy could have resulted from the reported circumstances from Mrs. Raona Mora.
“It is to be further stated that in my own training and experience in child death investigations that Raona’s explanation of events is inconsistent and incongruent with the multiple catastrophic brain injuries occurring from a reported fall height of 18 inches from the frameless bed.
“Therefore, there is probable cause under UCA 76-5-208(b)(i), Raona caused the death of the 4-month-old child recklessly.”
Mora was arrested for investigation of child abuse homicide — reckless, a third-degree felony. As always, charges will be determined by the county attorney’s office.
