GOLDEN VALLEY, Ariz. (AP) — On Nov. 3 at approximately 10:09 PM, Deputies with the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office (Arizona) responded to Kingman Regional Medical Center in reference to an 8-month-old child with suspicious injuries.
Prior to Deputies arrival, the child had been transported by air to a Las Vegas hospital where she was listed in critical condition.
The mother of the child, Marticella Lopez-Rodriguez, 34 of Golden Valley, had also left the hospital prior to law enforcement arrival.
Detectives with the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office responded to Las Vegas where they investigated this incident. It was found that the child had been shot at least two times by a projectile that was consistent with a B.B. or Pellet. One of the projectiles was to the child’s arm and was a grazing wound. The second projectile struck the child in the back of her head, fractured her skull and lodged in her cranial cavity.
Detectives also made contact with the child’s mother, Marticella.
Marticella had advised Detectives that she was out gathering fire wood with her child and additional friends, when an unknown person began firing an air soft gun at them. It was at this time the child had been struck with the projectiles.
During the course of this investigation, Detectives executed a Search Warrant on a property located in the area of Agate and Davis in Golden Valley.
During this time two additional persons involved were questioned, Zion Zachary Kauffman, 33, and Savannah Joy Cushman, 27, both of Golden Valley.
The investigation revealed that Zion had shot 10 to 30b.b.’s at a covey of quail that were in the area of the child, who was sitting in a car seat that had been placed on the ground in the area of her mother as she was collecting fire wood. Two of the rounds fired by Zion struck the child.
The trio administered first aid, however waited several hours before transporting the child to the hospital by a taxi service.
A story had been concocted by the trio, making it appear as though the injuries to the child had been caused by an unknown person randomly shooting at them.
At the conclusion of this investigation, Kauffman and Cushman were arrested and transported to the Mohave County Detention Facility where they were each booked for one count of Aggravated Assault, one count of Child Abuse and one count of Hindering Prosecution, all felonies.
A felony arrest warrant was entered for Marticella Lopez-Rodriquez for the same charges.
Detectives responded back to Las Vegas where they made contact with Marticella. Marticella confirmed that she had in fact made up the false details relating to this incident and admitted to how the incident had actually occurred.
With the assistance of Las Vegas authorities, Marticella was placed into custody and transported to a Las Vegas jail until she is extradited back to Arizona.
