A Worcester man is facing assault charges after his four-year-old daughter died

A Worcester man is being held without bail on assault and battery charges after his 4-year-old daughter died and his two other children were hospitalized.

Francisco Oritz, 34, faces five counts of assault and battery, reckless endangerment and allowing substantial injury to a child, related to injuries suffered by three children in his custody, court records show.

Police responded to Ortiz’s home around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday for a report of a child who had fallen from a table and was unresponsive, according to a statement of facts. According to the report, officers began life-saving measures on the child, who was later taken to the hospital and died.

While at Ortiz’s home, police said they found two other children who appeared to be malnourished. They also had multiple bruises on their bodies, police said. Both children are currently being treated for their injuries, the document said.

The dead victim had multiple bruises in “several locations” on her body, police said. Ortiz allegedly told police that the child had fallen off the table several times before. He told police he was the sole caregiver for all three children.

An autopsy performed Wednesday showed the victim had a skull fracture “consistent with a fall from two stories and not a fall from a table,” the documents said. The autopsy also noted the multiple bruises and said there was some bleeding on the child’s neck.

Prosecutors filed a motion to hold Ortiz without bail due to the dangerous nature of the alleged crime, the case docket shows. Judge Maura McCarthy granted the motion Thursday, court records show.

Ortiz entered a “not guilty” plea on Thursday, according to documents. An attorney for Ortiz declined to comment.

---

Eva Levin is a general assignment co-op for Boston.com. She covers breaking and local news in Boston and beyond.

---