On February 2, 2023, 1-year-7-month-old Giovanni Roman Contreras was found unresponsive at home in south Phoenix after being left in the care of his mother's live-in boyfriend, Diego Garcia, while his mother was at work. The child had been with his grandmother until approximately 5 p.m. and was reportedly acting normally. Garcia called the mother around 9 p.m. claiming the boy had hit his head. When the mother returned home around 10:30 p.m., she found the child unresponsive with a cut lip and a bump on his head. He was transported to the hospital where he was found to have multiple contusions at various stages of healing, a posterior scalp hematoma, and a right-sided subdural hematoma with midline shift. He underwent an emergent craniectomy but went into cardiac arrest during surgery and was subsequently pronounced deceased with a non-survivable brain injury. The cause of death was determined to be complications of blunt force trauma of the head and neck, ruled a homicide. Garcia gave police multiple contradictory stories before admitting to spanking the child. He was charged with first-degree murder and child abuse. Garcia and the mother had been in a relationship for only about a month.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The fatality report states the child "was pronounced deceased due to multiple inflicted injuries." The medical examiner report lists the cause of death as "COMPLICATIONS OF BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA OF HEAD AND NECK" with "multiple contusions that were of various stage of healing to his body." The news article reports that Garcia "admitted to spanking the boy on his buttocks, back, and abdomen." All sources confirm inflicted physical injury.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
The medical examiner report identifies the cause of death as "COMPLICATIONS OF BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA OF HEAD AND NECK" and describes "a hematoma to the posterior scalp, and right sided subdural hematoma with midline shift," diagnosed as a "non-survivable brain injury." The news article notes injuries to the child's head and "bleeding in the brain." While the specific term "abusive head trauma" is not used, the findings—subdural hematoma, midline shift, and non-survivable brain injury from inflicted blunt force trauma to the head—constitute abusive head trauma by definition in the context of a homicide ruling.
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
All three documents identify the perpetrator as the mother's boyfriend, Diego Garcia. The fatality report states: "The child was in the care of his mother's boyfriend, Diego Garcia. On February 13, 2023, Diego Garcia was charged with first degree murder and child abuse." The news article describes Garcia as the mother's "live-in boyfriend" and notes the relationship had been ongoing for "about a month."
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
The fatality report states: "On February 13, 2023, Diego Garcia was charged with first degree murder and child abuse." The news article corroborates: "Diego Garcia, 23, was booked on first-degree murder and child abuse."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge from the sources that are not fully captured by the preceding questions. The news article states that Garcia "and the child's mother had only been in a relationship for about a month," highlighting the extremely brief period the suspect had access to the child. The medical examiner report notes "multiple contusions that were of various stage of healing to his body," indicating that the child had been subjected to prior abuse before the fatal incident, despite no prior DCS reports. The news article also details Garcia providing multiple contradictory accounts to investigators about how the child was injured—including running into a door, falling off a couch, falling out of a crib, and falling from Garcia's arms—before admitting to spanking the boy. Additionally, the fatality report mentions that the investigation "resulted in a separate report regarding another child who resided part time in the home," indicating other children were potentially at risk.
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