20-year-old Rancho Cucamonga Mother Arrested in Abuse of 3-month-old Boy
RANCHO CUCAMONGA – San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a 20-year-old mother on suspicion of physically abusing her three-month-old baby.
Doctors at San Antonio Community Hospital determined that a male child was suffering from a severe brain injury as a result of traumatic injury to his head. Eventually, the child was taken to Loma Linda Children’s Hospital, about 25 miles away, for specialized treatment.
Marisela Manuel, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, was arrested on charges of child endangerment and causing great bodily injury. Investigators from the Specialized Investigations Unit, Crimes Against Children Detail had determined that a crime had been committed against the boy.
Manuel appeared in Rancho Cucamonga Superior Court on Wednesday to face charges. “The mother’s initial account of how the victim received his injuries was not consistent with the injuries sustained,” said Det. Donald Patton, who conducted the investigation with Det. Trouy Mooradian and Sgt. Dana Foster.
Detectives had interviewed Manuel about the incident, which took place on the 9400 block of Glenaire Court. The baby was not breathing, according to reports.
Eventually, said Patton, “the pediatrician found that the victim had severe bleeding and swelling in his brain, consistent with on-going physical abuse.”
He was listed in critical condition the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Loma Linda Children’s Hospital.
Social workers took custody of the baby, placing him in protective custody with Children and Family Services.
Manuel, who was arrested at the conclusion of the detectives’ interview, was booked into Central Detention Center, held on $500,000 bail.
