Woman Found Dead in West Jordan Home with Children Inside; Suspect Arrested
An investigation is ongoing following the discovery of a woman’s body inside a West Jordan home, where two young children were found nearby. The victim has been identified as 39-year-old Autumn Mercado. A man, Carlos Mercado, has been arrested and faces multiple charges, including child abandonment, after the police were alerted by a coworker who was concerned when Autumn failed to show up for work. The coworker was aware of a history of domestic violence in the relationship, prompting the welfare check.
“It’s always tragic when we encounter such an incident,” said Sgt. Andrew Hercu.
Authorities were dispatched to the residence at 7800 South and Iron Core Lane for a welfare check. Upon arrival, Carlos Mercado told officers that he was about to call them himself. However, when they entered the home, they found Autumn’s lifeless body at the bottom of the stairs. The two young children, ages 1 and 4, were found naked and within sight of their mother’s body.
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Neighbor Ruth Cardenas expressed her shock: “It’s heartbreaking. I can’t even imagine what they’ve been through.”
Carlos Mercado initially claimed that he believed Autumn had collapsed due to vertigo and fell down the stairs, but he could not provide a timeline for when the fall occurred. Arrest documents revealed that he appeared intoxicated, with a noticeable odor of alcohol and difficulty maintaining his balance. Officers discovered several open bottles of alcohol in the living room and kitchen.
During an interrogation, Carlos admitted to drinking with Autumn the night before. He said he fell asleep between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. and did not wake up until later, finding Autumn at the base of the stairs. He said he tried to rouse her for work, but when he couldn’t, he covered her with a blanket and left her there. He then called a rideshare service to go out and buy more beer, leaving the children alone in the house.
In addition to charges of child abandonment, Carlos Mercado is facing one count of abuse or desecration of a dead body. He is currently being held without ba
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