A 21-year-old man from Idaho, Roger Aaron Denig, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the devastating death of his 2-month-old baby girl, Ammarie Denig.
Murder
The incident unfolded last Wednesday morning when the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office received a distressing 911 call from the mother, who reported that her daughter was unresponsive. The entire Denig family, including the father, was rushed to a local hospital with the help of emergency services. However, paramedics noticed concerning signs that hinted at possible abuse during the examination.
According to Law and Crime’ published article, yellow bruises on the baby’s forehead and upper body, indicating older injuries, raised alarm bells. Denig allegedly attributed these injuries to his daughter’s congenital condition, laryngomalacia, which causes noisy breathing. The situation took a tragic turn when doctors at Steele Memorial Medical Center managed to revive the child but discovered multiple brain injuries. As a result, she was swiftly transferred to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center and then to Primary Children’s Hospital.
Heartbreakingly, a child abuse and neglect specialist at Primary Children’s Hospital concluded that the baby’s brain was no longer functioning. Subsequent investigations revealed additional distressing findings, including tearing of the brain, retinal hemorrhage in both eyes and several broken ribs at various stages of healing. These discoveries led the doctor to determine that Ammarie Denig had suffered from the shaken baby syndrome, an indication of severe trauma.
Despite the efforts of medical professionals, the infant succumbed to her injuries late on Friday night. An autopsy further confirmed the presence of additional broken ribs, providing further evidence of ongoing abuse. The cause of death was determined to be a traumatic head injury, Law and Crime stated.
Authorities conducted thorough interviews with the baby’s parents. The mother revealed they had left the child with her grandmother twice while going to the dump. Upon their return, the mother put the baby down for a nap, only to wake up and find her husband holding their daughter in distress, unable to breathe. Both parents explained the injuries, suggesting rough roads or lack of oxygen during the ambulance ride. However, the assigned detective concluded that the injuries resulted from intentional torture.
On Saturday, Roger Denig was apprehended and subsequently arraigned on Monday, with Magistrate Judge Andrew Woolf setting his bail at $500,000. He is currently held in Lemhi County Jail, awaiting his next court appearance scheduled for July 7. The tragic loss of Ammarie Denig serves as a grim reminder of the urgent need to safeguard innocent lives from acts of violence and abuse.