A Maricopa County grand jury has indicted a Gilbert man now charged in the child-abuse death of his 2-month-old daughter, according to the County Attorney’s Office.

Lilliana Martinez survived four days in a hospital and was removed from life support Nov. 12.

INDICTMENT

The grand jury indicted Ricky Martinez, 20, of first-degree felony murder and a dangerous crime against children, and one count of child abuse, a class-two felony and dangerous crime against children.

“Our office will work to seek justice for this young girl,” County Attorney Andrew Thomas said in a statement Thursday. “I’ve instituted policies to seek hard time for violent criminals who prey on children, and those policies will be fully enforced in this case.”

BACKGROUND

Gilbert police investigators believe Lilliana likely died from abuse at the hands of her father, who told detectives the 2-month-old child fell from a bed while he changed her diaper at the request of his fiancé.

After the child fell, Ricky Martinez picked up the infant and drove from his home on the 800 block of W. Laurel Avenue to the Gilbert fire station at 215 N. Cooper Road a half-mile away.

On the 911 audio released by police, Martinez said the baby suffered a head injury when she fell from the bed and onto a carpeted floor. However, police spokesman Sgt. Mark Marino said recently that the infant’s injuries were not consistent with a fall from a bed and onto a carpeted floor.

2nd SUSPECTED CHILD-ABUSE DEATH

Lilliana’s death is Gilbert’s second homicide involving an infant this year.

David Reed III, 22, is scheduled to be tried in February in the death of his girlfriend’s 13-month-old daughter, Cheree Goard, who he said fell from a couch as he changed her diaper. Cheree died May 9, nearly two days after being hospitalized with skull fractures and a healing broken collarbone, which investigators said was proof the child was abused previously, police reports state.

SOURCE:  http://www.azcentral.com/community/gilbert/articles/2009/11/23/20091123gr-indictment1125asfg.html