Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin today announced that Christopher Jimenez (age 30), of Providence, RI, was found guilty by Superior Court Justice Netti C. Vogel of second degree murder and first degree child abuse for the beating death of his infant daughter Christina. The verdict followed an eight-day jury waived trial. Jimenez, who has been held without bail since his arrest in 2012, was remanded back to the ACI pending sentencing on December 13, 2016.
During the trial, the State proved that Christina (05/10/2012) was just over one month old when she was brought by her parents, Christopher Jimenez and Mayra Gonzalez, to Hasbro Children's Hospital on June 20, 2012. Physicians diagnosed Christina as being in full cardiac arrest and suffering swelling and bleeding of her brain. Physicians found multiple old fractures to the infant's ribs that were already beginning to heal. Unresponsive, Christina was put on life support until she succumbed to her injuries on July 7, 2012, days before she would have turned two months old.
The Hospital contacted the Providence Police to report possible child abuse. When questioned by the Police, Jimenez gave multiple accounts as to what could have caused the child's injuries, indicating that he may have accidentally dropped Christina the day before.
During the trial, Dr. Christine Barron, a child abuse specialist at Hasbro Children's Hospital, testified that Christina suffered her first broken bone at two weeks old, and in total suffered 47 injuries, including 28 rib fractures, two broken wrists, two broken femurs, two broken knees, and four skull fractures, as well as retinal detachments, liver laceration, and a subdural hematoma. Dr. Barron also testified that the injuries were consistent with child abuse, and not by an accidental fall as her father claimed.
"As with most child abuse and child murder cases, it is medical testimony that speaks for the victims. Based on the medical testimony in this case, it is unbearable to think of the pain Christina suffered almost from the day she was born until her very last day," said Attorney General Kilmartin. "While Christina could not speak for herself, she had many others who did, including the medical personnel at Hasbro Children's Hospital, the Providence Police detectives assigned to the case, and the prosecutors who ensured that justice would be done for her."
Providence Police Detectives (ret). Nancy Santopadre and Dennis LeBlanc led the investigation for the Providence Police. Special Assistant Attorneys General Ania Zielinski and Alison DeCosta, both assigned to the Child Abuse Unit, prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.