Utah Father, David Anderson, Charged For Allegedly Starving Baby To Death The Day Before Her First Birthday

In a disturbing case of alleged child abuse out of Utah, father David Anderson has been charged with child abuse homicide in connection with the tragic death of his daughter. What makes the tragedy even worse is that Utah father David Anderson reportedly took his daughter’s life the day before her first birthday. As the Gephardt Daily reports, 11-month-old Siri was reportedly in her father’s sole physical custody in the months leading up to her untimely death.

David Anderson, 37, was arrested on August 17 for the death of his young daughter, which reportedly stemmed from an incident that took place back on June 7. While Utah law enforcement aren’t releasing many details in the case, according to reports, police and EMT’s came to Utah father David Anderson’s home on June 7, responding to a call of an unresponsive toddler.

Loved ones mourn Utah girl who died on day before her 1st birthday; father booked for child abuse https://t.co/ClIpqLqWmt

— FOX 13 News Utah (@fox13) August 20, 2016

When officials got to the scene, they found 11-month-old Siri unconscious in her crib and were unable to provoke a response. She was transported to Sevier Valley Hospital, where doctors were unable to revive her and she was pronounced dead. At the time of the little girl’s death, police declined to make an immediate arrest in the case. However, they did begin an investigation into her father, David Anderson.

“The child was transported to Sevier Valley Hospital, but was unable to be revived. It was the day before Siri turned one year old.”

Over the course of their investigation, the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office apparently made discoveries that led them to believe that Siri’s death was no accident, nor do they believe it was the result of natural causes. Since the little girl’s June 7 death, investigators have combed through Utah father David Anderson’s story, the medical records in the case, doctor’s reports, and the Utah Medical Examiner’s investigation into Siri’s death. Upon the conclusion of their investigation, the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office announced on their Facebook page that they had arrested Utah Father David Anderson in connection with his daughter’s death.

“We believe the facts of the case show David L. Anderson is directly responsible for the death of his daughter, Siri.”

While law enforcement was not initially releasing details related to the cause of the toddler’s death, Fox 13 Now has reported that it is believed that Utah father David Anderson killed his daughter by depriving her of food and water. Neighbor Rachel Shire, whose children used to play with little Siri, told the media that she suspected that David Anderson had something to do with his daughter’s sudden death as soon as she heard the news that her children’s little friend had passed away unexpectedly.

“I had felt at the beginning that he had really done something to her.”

In fact, according to Shire, the reason that David Anderson was raising Siri alone in the first place was because the child’s mother had fled her relationship with Anderson, a relationship she called “abusive.” Reportedly, by the time Siri’s mother left the home, Utah father David Anderson already had sole custody of Siri, which is why her mother was forced to leave her behind.

“If he was as abusive as she says, it was all about power for him, to keep control. He didn’t want those kids, but yet he didn’t want her to have them at the same time.”

Utah man arrested in connection with death of baby daughter https://t.co/9IpUskBTPB pic.twitter.com/7QdkT8gvb5

— FOX 13 News Utah (@fox13) August 20, 2016

According to Shire, baby Siri giggled constantly and brought joy to everyone around her.

“She was such a happy baby, and for her to be taken away so soon, it’s really hard to believe and hard to think how that could happen.”

Reportedly, David Anderson’s parents are “major donors” to Utah State University. So major, in fact, that the Utah college named a newly-constructed engineering building to honor them.

The child abuse homicide charge that David Anderson is facing is a second-degree felony, one that generally results in bond being set at $10,000. However, in the case of young Siri’s death, the judge in the case raised the bond to $20,000, cash only; many people believe that the amount is still far too low given the nature of David Anderson’s alleged crime against his daughter.

Utah father David Anderson is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Monday, August 23.

[Photo by Sevier County Sheriff’s Office]