‘Intentional, Heinous And Repeated Violence’: Utah Mother Killed 6-Year-Old Son Found Unresponsive in Shower

A Utah mother has been sentenced in connection to the death of her 6-year-old son who was found unresponsive on the floor of a shower in 2019.

On May 15, Reyna Flores-Rosales was sentenced five years to life in state prison for the charge of first-degree felony reckless child abuse homicide, one to 15 years for each of the two counts of second-degree felony intentional child abuse and zero to five years for third-degree felony reckless aggravated child abuse.

All of the sentences will run consecutively.

In March 2019, first responders were called to a home in Sandy after Rosales reported she found her son, Norlin Cruz, unresponsive on the floor of the shower.

Norlin had no pulse and wasn’t breathing. He was taken to Primary Children’s Hospital, where he later died.

Investigators determined he suffered “multiple injuries and scars” on his body, KSTU reported. A CT scan showed significant head trauma, which medical experts said had no “accidental explanation.”

People suspected Norlin was abused and Rosales was previously reported to the Division of Child and Family Services, KSTU reported.

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Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said it was one of the “worst cases of child abuse” he has seen as a prosecutor.

He added that Rosales “abused her child with intentional, heinous and repeated violence” and “the levels of callous, humiliating and gratuitous violence inflicted here demanded the most severe punishment."