WORCESTER, Mass. — A Worcester man facing charges in the death of his 4-year-old daughter was deemed dangerous during a Wednesday court hearing, where a prosecutor revealed a slew of disturbing new facts involving two other children who were removed from his home.
Francisco Ortiz, 34, appeared in Worcester’s Central District Court for a dangerousness hearing, one week after he was arraigned on charges of assault and battery on a child with substantial injury, permitting substantial injury to a child, assault and battery, two counts of permitting injury to a child, and reckless endangerment of a child.
An officer responding to a 911 call placed by Ortiz on Tuesday, Oct. 15, entered his Sever Street apartment and located his 4-year-old daughter, who was “unresponsive” and “cold to the touch,” Courtney Sans, a prosecutor for the Worcester District Attorney’s Office, said in court as she read from a lengthy statement of facts.
“He made observations as to her persons, including that she had just a shirt on, was otherwise naked from the waist down, and appeared to have feces covering parts of her body,” Sans said of the officer’s discovery. “She had some bleeding from her mouth and lips.”
The officer also found two other children, a 2-year-old boy and a 6-year-old girl, in Ortiz’s home, which was said to be in a state of “disarray,” according to Sans. Those children were removed from the home by medical personnel to “ensure their overall well-being.”
Ortiz’s 4-year-old daughter was ultimately pronounced dead from her injuries. While the state is still awaiting an official cause and manner of death from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Sans decribed the young girl’s injuries as “significant.”
“The child’s bruises were significant injuries, including her left eye, her left and right earlobe, both sides of her neck and chin, her left and right arms, across her upper chest, her abdomen, both hips, her knees, her lower legs, her feet, as well as abrasions on her back,” Sans said.
During an interview with investigators, Ortiz claimed his daughter was injured in a fall from a kitchen table but a subsequent autopsy determined that the girl also had a “significant” skull fracture consistent with a two-story fall, according to Sans.
“The force required for that type of skull fracture would not have been associated with a fall of approximately five feet from a table in the home but would have been akin to a fall from a higher level,” Sans explained.
Sans said the girl also had multiple rib fractures “in various stages of healing” before her death.
The 2-year-old boy removed from Ortiz’s home was also found to be suffering from a skull fracture and the 6-year-old girl, who is non-verbal, had various injuries throughout her body, including to her teeth, according to Sans. That girl also tested positive for fentanyl.
“The understanding is that the children were all severely malnourished and they were severely dehydrated at the time of this intervention by law enforcement,” Sans explained.
The three children were primarily in the care of Ortiz, who had been residing with his mother at her home.
“He is the sole exclusive caretaker of the children. His mom acknowledges at times helping to bathe the children,” Sans said. “Mom [of the children] is in and out of the picture, if you will, visiting at different times, sporadically.”
The mother of the children, as well as Ortiz’s mother, have denied ever striking the kids, according to Sans.
Sans noted that past police reports indicate Ortiz was terminated by his employer following a “larceny event” at his workplace in Shrewsbury in 2020. She also said that a search of his home after the death of his child yielded a handgun and apparent drug substances.
Ortiz also has a history of “gang involvement,” often being present at violent incidents where gunshots were fired, according to Sans.
The attorney representing Ortiz called the incident a “tragic case,” arguing that his client was the one who called for help. He also said Ortiz has been cooperative with investigators and asked for a “modest” cash bail.
The judge presiding over the hearing sided with the prosecution, deeming Ortiz dangerous. He will remain held without bail, pending an indictment and arraignment in superior court.
A plea of not guilty has been entered on Ortiz’s behalf.
Ortiz is due back in court on Feb. 12, 2025.
An investigation is ongoing.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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