Friday, June 26, 2009

Dad to be tried for murder after son's death linked to childhood abuse (Banning, California)

Eight years ago, father JOSE ROGELIO MONCADA was sentenced to prison after he beat his infant son "to the point of paralysis, blindness, and retardation." Later on, the child also developed cerebral palsy.
Needless to say, the baby was crying, which apparently annoyed Moncado, so he slammed the baby's head into the couch and shook him until the baby stopped breathing. The baby had skull fractures and bleeding.
Now the child has died from long-term health complications related to his injuries, so Dad will be tried for murder.

http://www.pe.com/localnews/banning/stories/PE_News_Local_E_echarges19.447eaf1.html

Banning man to be tried for murder after son's death linked to childhood abuse

10:00 PM PDT on Thursday, June 18, 2009
By JOHN ASBURY
The Press-Enterprise

Jose Rogelio Moncada was sentenced to prison eight years ago after he confessed to beating his son Joseph to the point of paralysis, blindness and retardation when the infant wouldn't stop crying.

After the Banning boy died suddenly last fall and a pathologist said it was from the injuries he suffered as an infant, Moncada will be tried for murder.

Moncada, 30, who was serving a sentence of 10 years and four months in state prison, was returned to a Riverside County jail this week after prosecutors filed charges against him in his son's death in September.

"Joseph would probably not have died had it not been for the brain injuries that he suffered as an infant at the hands of his father," a pathologist told police and prosecutors, according to the arrest declaration.

In 2001, Moncada pleaded guilty to child abuse, in exchange for prosecutors dismissing an attempted murder charge, according to court records.

Moncada told police that when Joseph wouldn't stop crying, he slammed the infant's head into the couch and shook him until he stopped breathing, according to a declaration in support of an arrest warrant.

Joseph suffered skull fractures and hemorrhaging from the beating, became blind and paralyzed, and developed cerebral palsy, according to court documents.

On Sept. 25, Joseph Moncada -- by then 8 years old -- was riding the bus to school when he died. Coroner's officials notified Banning police, Lt. Mike West said.

An autopsy concluded the cause of death was a ruptured stomach, which was a result of complications from shaken-baby syndrome, according to the arrest warrant declaration.

Moncada is scheduled to be arraigned July 2. He could face life in prison if convicted.