Man Pleads Innocent in Death of Fetus

A Glendale man pleaded innocent Tuesday to assault charges in the beating of his girlfriend that resulted in the death of her 12-week-old fetus, authorities said.

Risen Mercado, 24, a security guard at the Atlantic Richfield Plaza in downtown Los Angeles, could face a maximum of nine years in state prison if found guilty of the charges. In addition, he could receive five years for inflicting great bodily injury to a pregnant woman causing the termination of her pregnancy, Deputy Dist. Atty. Michael Pargament said.

Mercado is accused of beating his girlfriend, Daisy Garcia, 22, several times during the past month. Last Thursday, he punched her in the stomach with a closed fist, police said. Garcia began having cramps and bleeding heavily on Friday and was taken to St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank on Saturday by a friend.

Garcia told the admitting nurse she had been beaten and the nurse called Glendale police. She was taken into surgery that afternoon and miscarried, police said.

Mercado was arrested at his home early Sunday, police said.

Under California law, a person cannot be charged with murder in the death of a fetus unless prosecutors determine the fetus is viable--able to survive outside the womb--which doctors say is possible after about six months, authorities said. The law allowing for additional prison time in the death of a fetus was adopted in 1985 in a case involving a 14-year-old girl who was stabbed and her fetus killed.

Mercado was being held in lieu of $20,000 bail at Los Angeles County Jail. He will face a preliminary hearing March 25.