Minnesota man admits inflicting deadly injuries to 22-month-old girl

A 25-year-old man admitted in court Monday in northwestern Minnesota to inflicting deadly head and neck injuries on the 22-month-old daughter of his girlfriend.

Raul Perez, of Ada, pleaded guilty in Norman County District Court to second-degree murder in the death of Ariel Reyes last August.

Perez lived with the girl and her mother.

A doctor at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo noted many injuries to Ariel, including bruises to her jaw, forehead, thigh, shoulder and the base of her spine. Also diagnosed were numerous severe brain injuries and bleeding at the back wall of an eye.

Prosecutors said Monday that they will seek an upward departure from state guidelines when Perez is sentenced on Sept. 9.

Soon after Ariel's death, the mother told police of several months of abuse at the hands of Perez, according to the criminal complaint. The abuse included the mother being lifted off the floor by her hair and being burned on her arm with a cigarette lighter.

Under police questioning, Perez denied shaking or striking Ariel and added that he also has never harmed his three young boys, the complaint added.

Shortly before noon on Aug. 29, medics were called to the home in Ada and saw Perez attempting to revive Ariel with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. She remained unresponsive and died two days later at the hospital.

Perez was looking after Ariel and her 5-year-old brother while his girlfriend was picking up groceries and putting gas in her vehicle.

After paying for the gas, the mother saw Perez running down the street toward her, holding her son and saying that Ariel had stopped breathing and an ambulance had been called.