Ogden man pleads guilty to child abuse charges in 2012 incident

An Ogden man accused of beating a 9-month-old boy has pleaded guilty to reduced charges.

Apolinar Tzontecomani Flores, 38, was originally charged with first-degree felony attempted aggravated murder and intentional child abuse, a second-degree felony.

On Oct. 16, the man pleaded guilty to child abuse, a third-degree felony. The attempted murder charge was dismissed.

Second District Judge Brent West suspended a prison sentence of up to five years in favor of 36 months probation and credit for the 618 days Flores has already served at the Weber County jail. Because Flores is in the country illegally, he was released to ICE officials, according to court documents.

In plea agreement documents, the man admitted to leaving the small child unattended on a bed "resulting in a subsequent fall" on Feb. 5, 2012.

According to a probable cause statement filed shortly after the incident, an Ogden police investigator wrote that Flores told them the child fell off the bed, but said the doctor who treated the child said it was "not possible" that such a fall would produce the child's skull fracture. The doctor also noted that there were older injuries on the child's head as well, the investigator wrote.

jmiller@sltrib.com

Twitter: @jm_miller