A disturbing case of alleged child abuse has shaken a community, with a 48-year-old man, the stepfather of a two-year-old boy, now facing serious charges. The man has been accused of attempted homicide, particularly aggravated, and repeated domestic violence offenses. As the investigation unfolds, he will be held in preventive detention for 180 days.
According to Luis Alvez, the prosecutor handling the case, the young boy was initially in critical condition and has since been moved to a regular hospital room. It’s been revealed that the child had suffered abuse prior to the recent incident, with the stepfather being the primary suspect. However, the prosecutor emphasized that all possibilities remain open as the inquiry continues.
In the aftermath of the incident, testimonies were collected from the boy’s mother, aunt, and sisters, all of whom were present in the household. A forensic police team also gathered evidence from the scene. The prosecutor confirmed that physical violence against the child did occur, with the stepfather being the alleged perpetrator. Notably, there is currently no evidence linking the mother to the abuse, although it’s speculated that she might have been a victim of domestic violence herself or potentially neglected to intervene.
The stepfather’s defense, as presented by his lawyer Rodrigo Rolón, suggests that his client was not directly involved in the violence against the child. Rolón stated that his client claimed to have been asleep in his room, having consumed cocaine and marijuana since Saturday. He alleged that one of the child’s sisters woke him up to inform him that the boy had fallen, upon which he rushed the child to the emergency room. The stepfather expressed confusion over the child’s injuries, stating he didn’t witness anything and that none of the other witnesses reported hearing any disturbance, despite the small size of the house.
The issue of drug consumption and its potential impact on testimonies was also addressed. The lawyer indicated that while the aunt claimed not to consume drugs, the mother apparently did. However, the narrative around who was consuming drugs and when differs between the stepfather and the other witnesses. Additionally, an old photograph has surfaced showing the stepfather threatening the child with a knife, an incident that was never reported.
The case began to unfold on Monday around 5:00 AM when the mother and her partner took the severely injured child to a local healthcare facility. The boy was found to have suffered a head injury, early signs of hypothermia, was wet, convulsive, and unconscious, with multiple body injuries and a specific lesion in the genital area, suggestive of possible torture. A forensic expert has linked these injuries to suspected child abuse, and cocaine was detected in the child’s urine. Fortunately, there is no indication of sexual abuse.
This harrowing incident has left a community in shock, especially given the presence of two other children, aged nine and seven, in the same household. The family had recently moved into the neighborhood, and the situation was brought to the attention of authorities by the healthcare facility due to the child’s condition upon admission. As the investigation progresses, more details are expected to emerge, shedding light on the circumstances surrounding this tragic event.