Ogden man jailed in 14-month-old girl's death

The 23-year-old live-in boyfriend of an Ogden woman has been arrested in the death of a baby girl, who was left in his care along with the mother's two other young children.

Ogden police Lt. Danielle Croyle said Tuesday that Adam Joseph Barney was arrested Monday night after officers found the 14-month-old child dead in a unit at the Western Colony Inn, 234 24th St.

Barney himself is believed to have called 911 to report the child was unconscious and unresponsive.

The Utah Division of Child and Family Services took the other two children, ages 5 and 3, into protective custody.

Croyle said that Barney told police that he had hit the child several times, as well as "squeezing her substantially, causing significant injuries."

Police did not immediately release the name of the victim, nature of her injuries or information on the status of the child's mother, who reportedly was at work at the time of the death.

However, KUTV reported that the mother, Kaci Rupert, told them she had been at her job at the Home Depot caller center when she learned of the death.

Barney was being held without bail in the Weber County jail on suspicion of felony child abuse homicide as well as two misdemeanor warrants out of Ogden.

remims@sltrib.com

Twitter: @remims