SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Oct. 2, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A Salt Lake City woman is being held without bail after she allegedly choked her 1-year-old child.
A probable cause statement from the 3rd District Court of Salt Lake County said Anna Ophelia Carranza-Sanchez, 22, is facing charges of aggravated murder, a first-degree felony (likely to be amended if the child survives); and child abuse involving serious physical injury, a second-degree felony.
On Sept. 16, the University of Utah Hospital contacted the Salt Lake City Police Department to advise that Carranza-Sanchez came into hospital and disclosed to at least three people that 30 minutes prior to showing up at the hospital, she had strangled her 1-year-old child.
“Carranza-Sanchez further confessed that she was trying to kill her child because she wanted to die and didn’t want the child growing up without a mother,” the statement said. “Carranza-Sanchez disclosed that she strangled her child for two to five seconds until she heard him start making choking/gurgling noises.”
Officers arrived at a residence in Salt Lake City and did a welfare check on the child.
“Officers observed the child was slow to wake up and appeared lethargic for a least an hour after they were able to get him to consciousness,” the statement said. “Officers noted there was a blood tinted spit up on the pillow under the child’s head. The child was transported to Primary Children’s Hospital where swelling and redness were observed on the child’s neck.”
After being read her Miranda rights, Carranza-Sanchez admitted to trying to kill her child by putting both hands around his neck in an effort to strangle him, the statement said.
“She stated she had then planned to hang herself to kill herself,” the statement said. “Carranza-Sanchez stated while strangling the child she decided that he had more to live for and stopped. Carranza-Sanchez claimed that after strangling the child he was still asleep, but based on her description and the facts it appeared that he was more than likely unconscious.”
Carranza-Sanchez claimed she confirmed he was still breathing, but left the residence without telling anyone what she had done. The suspect was evaluated at the hospital and later booked for the two charges. She is being held without bail at the Salt Lake County Jail.
