A 32-year-old man pleaded guilty Monday to attempted murder for pummeling his infant daughter in the head, leaving her critically injured.
Andres Tafoya also pleaded guilty to child abuse and endangerment and admitted sentence-enhancing violations for great bodily injury to the victim, according to court records. A felony count of torture with a sentencing enhancement for great bodily injury was dismissed.
Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 30.
Tafoya was accused of punching the baby’s head multiple times while her mother was at work on Nov. 1, 2013.
The defendant brought the baby to a hospital, where she was admitted in critical condition, and took off before police arrived, said Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna.
Tafoya and his girlfriend have another child together, Bertagna said.
In 2011, Tafoya was charged with two counts of domestic violence and one count of disturbing the peace, all misdemeanors. The domestic violence charges were dropped on Oct. 24, 2011, when he pleaded guilty to disturbing the peace, according to court records.
— City News Service