A Worcester man is currently facing serious charges following the death of his young daughter. Francisco Ortiz, 34, of 11 Sever St., was arraigned yesterday on assault and battery charges linked to the incident involving his four-year-old daughter, reports the Worcester County District Attorney's Office. Initial claims by Ortiz suggested the girl had suffered an accidental fall from a kitchen table.
However, discrepancies soon emerged between the father's account and the medical evidence. An autopsy conducted yesterday revealed a skull fracture not consistent with a mere fall from furniture, but rather indicative of a two-story drop, as detailed in a Telegram report. Upon their initial response to the distress call at approximately 4:30 p.m., police and hospital staff noted multiple bruises on the child's body, contradicting the notion of a single, fatal accident.
Ortiz, who told responding officers he had been raising his daughter alone for two years, attempted to explain the various injuries as the result of multiple falls. Yet, the evidence was overwhelming enough to prompt his arraignment in court, where a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf. He is now held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing, according to court documents.
This incident has led to Ortiz being charged with assault and battery on a child with substantial injury, assault and battery, two counts of permitting injury to a child, and reckless endangerment of a child. This case's sparse details were further elaborated byNBC10 Boston which noted the absence of a clear statement from Ortiz's legal representation. The Worcester County District Attorney's Office has held back from releasing further details surrounding the exact nature of the child's injuries or the full extent of Ortiz's relationship with his daughter.
