"Very concerned" dad won't face murder charges after leaving 5-month-old son home alone to go out drinking (Jefferson County, Colorado)

We've reported on dad JOSEPH TRUJILLO several times in recent weeks. Now we hear that the murder charges are to be dropped. Frankly, I'm not surprised. We also hear the loyal chorus of Daddy Defenders that too often surface in these cases. Now a "family friend" claims that a guy who ADMITS to leaving his 5-month-old son home alone while he goes out to the bars is a "very concerned" dad.

One word. Barf.

By the way, in case you forgot. This is the guy who had physical custody while Mama was serving in the military. A few displaced social priorities?

http://www.newstin.com/tag/us/171717172

Jan 28, 2010 7:16 pm US/Mountain
Father Won't Face Murder Charge In Child's Death Reporting
Valerie Castro JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo (CBS4)

A man who's baby died after he allegedly left the five month old infant home alone while he went drinking, was formally charged in Jefferson County on Thursday.

Joseph Trujillo was charged with child abuse resulting in death, a class 2 felony. Investigators said Trujillo, 23, spent at least six hours at the bar while his infant son was home alone.

The child was unresponsive when Trujillo got home. Until Thursday, he was facing first degree murder charges. The Jefferson County District Attorney said upon further review of the case, the investigation warrants the child abuse resulting in death charge, instead of a murder charge.

If convicted, Trujillo is facing nearly 50 years in prison. Investigators have not said how the child died.

Jefferson County Sheriffs Deputies and medical personnel found the baby unresponsive at the 16000 block of W. 10th Ave. at 12:30 a.m. on Jan. 21.

The baby's grandmother called 911 after waking up to the sounds of her son, Trujillo crying. She found Trujillo holding the unresponsive baby. Trujillo is the baby's father, and he shares an apartment with his mother.

After interviewing witnesses, police discovered that Trujillo had left the baby alone in the apartment for between six and seven hours while he went to a local bar to drink.

"Sometime during the day Trujillo was alone in his apartment with his son, he decided to leave and left the five-month-old baby alone in the apartment for quite a bit of time," said Mark Techmeyer, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

Neighbors told CBS4 that Trujillo seemed attentive and loving towards the baby.

"Every single time I saw the father with the baby he was fine, he was very concerned about the baby and I talked to him a couple two or three times about the baby crying, because we heard the baby crying," said Janice Hannon, family friend.

Trujillo was booked into the Jefferson County Jail where he is being held without bond on suspicion of first degree murder.