Mother arrested and accused of child abuse in connection with the death of her baby in Eagle Mountain

EAGLE MOUNTAIN – A mother was arrested Tuesday in connection with the death of her 4-month-old baby, police said.

Raona Dorothy Mora, 32, was arrested for investigation of negligent homicide by child abuse

At around 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday, detectives were called to a home in Eagle Mountain near Nolen Park where a four-month-old boy had suffered severe traumatic brain injury.

Paramedics arrived and began medical treatment for the baby, but according to a police affidavit, he was quickly taken by helicopter to Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City. As the child's condition worsened, the helicopter detoured and took the child to Primary Children's in Lehi.

When the mother, Mora, arrived on the scene, police told officers she fell asleep next to the bed while holding the baby and then fell to the floor and fell on the baby.

According to hospital officials, the baby suffered multiple skull fractures, which resulted in a dent in the baby's skull and a severe brain hemorrhage. The dent in the skull was so large that it was visible to the naked eye, the affidavit states.

Doctors told police that the baby's injuries were not survivable. Shortly afterwards, the baby was declared dead.

In an interview with police, Mora again said she fell asleep while sitting on the bed with the baby in her arms and fell forward off the bed onto the baby, the affidavit said. The bed consists of a mattress and box spring and is about 18 inches off the floor, police said.

Mora said she woke up lying on her back with the baby in her arms and then the baby was taken by the father. The mother said she got up and took the baby back and tried to calm him as he cried, but she noticed he was stiff, breathing strangely and bleeding from the ear. Mora said she then woke the father, who had fallen back asleep, and called emergency services.

According to police doctors, there is “no possibility that the serious and fatal injuries to the four-month-old boy could have been due to the circumstances reported by Ms. Raona Mora,” the affidavit states.

The mother's explanation was “inconsistent” and “incompatible with the numerous catastrophic brain injuries that would have resulted from a fall of 46 centimeters,” police said.

Mora is being held without bail.