This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A Holladay man pleaded guilty Monday to physically abusing his 4-month-old daughter last year after the infant suffered burns from a toppled space heater and wouldn't stop screaming.
Elijah Malykeshabazz Jodejuan, 24, was initially charged in 3rd District Court with two counts of second-degree felony child abuse.
Jodejuan pleaded guilty Monday to a one lesser count of third-degree felony child abuse.
He faces a maximum of five years in prison when he is sentenced July 18 by Judge Richard McKelvie.
On Nov. 4, the baby's mother had left the infant in Jodejuan's care while she went to work, according to charging documents.
Later in the day, she began getting "odd text messages" from Jodejuan, including one that told her "that everything would turn out all right with the baby," charges state.
When the mother returned home she found the baby and Jodejuan locked inside a bedroom. Jodejuan would not answer questions about the child's welfare and initially refused to let her in, even though the baby was screaming, detectives reported. When he did finally open the door, Jodejuan allegedly grabbed the mother, throwing her onto a bed in another room.
Eventually, the mother got inside the other bedroom and found the baby inside a closet, suffering from obvious burns and other injuries. She rushed the child to the hospital.
Detectives say Jodejuan claimed that the baby had pulled a space heater by its cord onto herself while he was taking a shower. He allegedly said he that when he pulled the heater — which was "stuck" to the baby's skin — off of her, she was "screaming like bloody murder."
Frustrated by the incident, Jodejuan admitted, to "taking it out on her," according to charges.
Doctor's at Primary Children's Hospital found that the baby girl, in addition to her burns, had suffered "non-accidental trauma" including multiple abrasions and contusions to her face, arms, legs and abdomen, charges state.