Man charged with first-degree murder of 2-month-old daughter
UPDATE 7/18/22: LEMHI COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) – Roger Denig did appear in court for his preliminary hearing on July 7.
There, two motions were filed by the defense; A motion to involve a Special Investigator on the case, which was granted by the court.
The other motion was for a bond reduction. The state argued against the motioned, it was then denied.
Denig's preliminary hearing will be continued on July 25.
LEMHI COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) – A 21-year-old father from Salmon is charged with first-degree murder after the death of his 2-month-old daughter.
Roger Aaron Denig is being held in the Lemhi County Jail after his arraignment on Monday. He is being held on a $500,000 bail.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Denig was arrested on June 24 on his way back from a Utah hospital where his daughter Ammarie was pronounced dead.
On June 21, Lemhi County Sheriff Office received a 911 from the mother that Ammarie stopped breathing. The parents began rushing her to the nearby hospital as they say they tried CPR. The mother told dispatch, "She's not breathing then barely breathing, to she isn't moving at all," as stated in the probable cause.
An ambulance caught up with the family and continued CPR efforts as they rushed to Steele Memorial Hospital. "EMS stated they noticed 'yellow bruises on the forehead from eyebrow-to-eyebrow, and some bruises to the infant's upper body. This indicates an older injury..."
Denig told EMT's Ammarie had a medical condition called Lyrangomalicia that can cause her to choke.
While at the hospital, they were able to get a heart beat and life flighted Ammarie to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center where they did a CT scan which showed multiple brain injuries and bleeding. She was then flown to Primary Children's Hospital in Utah.
There, doctors with the hospital's Child Abuse Team determined Ammarie had no brain activity and other concerning injuries from days prior. According to the probable cause, the CT scan showed Ammarie, "has Subdural Haematoma – explaining the blood vessel in the space between the skull," and, "additional signs show tearing of the brain, which is consistent with a sudden, external, physical assault." The document also says, "the CT scan show(s) several broken ribs in various stages of healing."
Bruising on Ammarie's body was believed to be, "10 to 14 days old," which could not have been from CPR efforts.
At that point, Ammarie was being kept alive by life support. The doctor said she likely suffered from Shaken Baby Syndrome, forceful, aggressive and external shaking of an infant or toddler. Ammarie was pronounced dead at 10:36 p.m. on June 23.
After speaking with the mother, deputies say she reported to have fallen asleep in the house as Denig went in the other room to rock Ammarie asleep. She says Ammarie was 'fussy' and crying. She says Denig woke her telling her the baby was not breathing and blue.
After speaking with Denig, he told deputies Ammarie was asleep when she began to cough with fluid coming out of her mouth. He said he tried to clear her mouth with his finger, she then choked and stopped breathing.
In the probable cause document, deputies recorded when they were speaking to Denig, "He was shaking, and even commented on that fact saying 'he must be nervous.'"
Both Denig and the mother told deputies the bruising and broken ribs could have been from patting the baby too hard, and the brain injury could have been from driving on the rough road to the hospital or lack of oxygen.
The deputy interviewing Denig advised Ammarie's trauma was too severe. It couldn't have been from the road or lack of oxygen. After the deputy asked Denig if he did anything to her, "Denig stated he didn't think so, he stated he was bouncing her... Denig stated maybe he shook her harder than he thought... Denig stated he may have and if he did, he will take accountability for his actions."
Ammarie's autopsy revealed there had been various broken ribs in different healing stages, more than originally thought. The medical examiner said her internal organs seemed normal, and found she died from a traumatic head/brain injury.
Denig is scheduled to appear back in court on July 7 for his preliminary hearing.
By law, Denig is innocent until proven guilty.
