Grand jury indicts man for aggravated murder for the death of his daughter

A grand jury has indicted Misael Lopez Gomez, 28, on July 20 for aggravated murder and felony child abuse for the death of his 3-month-old daughter. A trial date will be set on July 23.

Police responded to their home in the 3400 block of Lake Street in Bailey’s Crossroads on the evening of March 27 for the report of an unresponsive infant. Efforts to revive the baby were unsuccessful.

Lopez Gomez, who was responsible for caring for the infant at the time, was arrested on March 31 and charged with Second Degree Murder and Felony Child Abuse.

At a preliminary hearing in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court earlier this month, a state medical examiner testified on the extent of the baby’s injuries that led to her death.

A Fairfax County Police Detective testified that the defendant admitted to law enforcement officers that he had repeatedly struck his daughter. An autopsy determined that she had died from blunt force trauma.

Related story: Man charged with killing 3-month-old daughter

The case was initially charged as second-degree murder, which is standard practice in Fairfax County, but prosecutors asked the grand jury to return an indictment on the more serious charge of aggravated murder based on the facts of the case.

Under the Virginia Code, the killing of a person under the age of 14 by a person age 21 or older is considered aggravated murder, a Class 1 felony. A conviction for aggravated murder carries a mandatory life sentence.

“Cases like this are so rare and egregious that the law recognizes the need for a higher penalty,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano. “My office prioritizes the prosecution of serious, violent crimes, and will use the tools that the law provides to do so.”