Categories
assault battery Personal Injury

Child Abuse in the United States

Phoenix Man Arrested for Child Abuse

To me, child abuse in any form is one of the lowest things a human being can do. Why on earth would someone want to hurt a child? I know that sometimes you just need a break and feel like you’re frustrated with the world, but to harm a child is horrible and inexcusable.

According to court documents, a Phoenix man is now facing child abuse charges. The charges accuse him of abusing his own two sons who were only 5 and 3 years old at the time.

The five year old boy went to school on January 26th and asked his teacher for some ice due to his eye hurting. The teacher immediately noticed the swelling and bruising to the young boy’s eye. The teacher did what any other person would do and reported it to the school counselor.

The young boy told the police that his father punched him in the face. How sad is that?! The boys father is thirty-nine year old William Terrell Harris. This wasn’t the only abuse the young boy described though. He said that his father also hit him with a belt and then pointed to his left back, rib section. His little ribs were also bruised and swollen.

The boy told the officer that his little brother was three years old and he was also being abused by their father.

Police also noticed that the three year old little boy had red welts and bruising on him. The welts looked like the marks of an “end tongue of a belt” on his outer knee and arm. What could a three year old have done to deserve such a beating?! Nothing!

Police acted fast and arrested the child abuser of a father the very next day at his apartment.

According to the court records, the father admitted to hitting the five year old little boy with a wet towel. He thought that is what actually caused the bruising. He was mad at the little guy because he only “put one sock on, instead of two”.

The father claimed he didn’t remember punching the child in the eye. However, he also didn’t deny that he did. He did say that he saw the injury to the young boys eye and he “pressed on it kinda hard”. Father of the year, folks!

Police say that the child abuse incidents happened while the children’s mother was a work.

The Department of Child Services took the two young boys into their custody and now the father is going to face two counts of child abuse.

 

Police Find Child Abuse Case Duct Taped in Closet

Mesa Police found a three year old child duct taped being kept in a closet on a Monday. According to the Mesa Police, the young child had to be taken to the local hospital so that he or she could be evaluated.

A man and a woman have been arrested in relation to this case. Their identities were not immediately released though.

Mesa Police Chief, John Meza, scheduled a news conference pretty quickly to discuss the case with the public.

Mesa Police Department Statement about The Child Abuse:

The arrest of any suspect involved in abuse or exploitation of any child is on the highest priority for the Mesa Police Department. Fortunately the child was recovered before any more additional harm could be done to her.

 

Abused Mesa Child Almost Saved

A former Walmart employee claims that the police missed an “opportunity to intervene” to save the life of a little girl who was being abused, when her mom was accused of shoplifting.

Jason Tilley worked in asset protection at the Greenfield Walmart in Mesa. On December 18th the police were called to the store about a woman who was trying to shoplift some food as well as some other items at the Walmart.

The woman was twenty-two year old, Mayra Solis. Jason Tilley said that the three year old little girl that was with Solis was dirty and also smelled like urine during Solis’ shoplifting incident.

The Mesa police say that the officers at the scene noticed that the little girl was somewhat dirty and bought her some cookies. However, they didn’t think it was appropriate to intervene with social services or report the young family to the state. The officers did cite Solis for shoplifting.

Tilley’s Statement:

The lead officer was debating calling CPS (DCS) because obviously shoplifting with child and the condition the child was in, but for whatever reason they didn’t do it so we thought that was strange. It’s just heartbreaking because you know something should have been done ahead of time back in December, and it’s just a shame it took something to this extent to happen.

 

Mesa Police Detective, Steve Berry’s Statement:

If you got a mom or a child or a little person who don’t have the same means as someone else, but they are clothed, there’s shoes, there’s nothing outstanding there. We can try to offer resources, but we can’t simply hold someone or take their child or restrict them.

The mother didn’t stay away from Walmart’s after her shoplifting experience. On January 14th another Mesa police officer came across the three year old victim and her mother where they were reported panhandling outside another Walmart. This time it was near Baseline Road and Country Club Drive.

Apparently, the officer knew the young mother from her high school days. He chatted with her however, he did not give her any citations. According to the officers, this round the little girl was dress appropriately for the weather and was also eating a snack.

The Mesa police said that Solis claimed to be waiting for  a ride. She told them that she was working at a local Taco Bell restaurant and even gave the officer her address where she claimed she was living.

Berry’s Statement:

We’ll find a way to get some resources if we get there and see there was some abuse or neglect. In this case, we had a very seasoned officer who saw this little girl, and there was just nothing there that indicated what was to come.

Solis was later arrested for child abuse. Her young daughter was found in very bad conditions. They found the toddler bound with duct tape and she had to sit in her own feces in a trash bag. She was hidden in a closet in a Mesa apartment complex.

Police say that Solis was letting a thirty year old man, Francisco Rios-Covarrubias babysit her daughter for a few days at a time while she was working her job at the Taco Bell. He’s been arrested for sexual conduct, kidnapping, as well as other charges.

ICE has confirmed that he is an undocumented immigrant.

 

Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC
668 N 44th St. Suite 300
Phoenix, AZ 85008
(480) 351-6445

Home