Gavel. Photo by Bill Oxford on Unsplash
LOGAN — A 38-year-old Logan father has confessed to child abuse homicide, in the death of a one-month old baby a year ago. Zachary Michael Woirhaye remains in the Cache County Jail since being arrested July 21, 2022.
According to court records, Woirhaye appeared Friday morning in 1st District Court. He accepted a plea deal, pleading guilty one count of child abuse homicide, amended to a second-degree felony.
Logan City Police officers were called to a hotel room on Dec. 31, 2022. Woirhaye and 34-year-old Jodi Lee Anderson had been residing at the hotel for several weeks. A 46-day-old infant boy was found lying on a bed, unresponsive, not breathing and with no heartbeat.
Paramedics transported the baby to Logan Regional Hospital and later to Primary Children’s Hospital. Medical staff said the boy was unhealthy, and showed signs of malnourishment and neglect. He died two weeks later.
Police later interviewed extended family members, who expressed concerns about both Woirhaye and Anderson’s mental capacity. They claimed the couple had to be continually reminded about feeding the child enough baby formula.
Woirhaye and Anderson were originally charged with aggravated murder, a capital offense. Jodi was also charged with obstructing justice, a second-degree felony.
During Friday’s hearing, Woirhaye waived his rights to a preliminary hearing and fair trial, accepting prosecutor’s plea deal. He was ordered to remain in jail and appear for sentencing March 27, when he could face up to 15-years in prison.
Anderson remains in jail and is scheduled to appear for a status hearing Feb. 27. She has yet to enter a plea to the charges.
will@cvradio.com