A Las Cruces stepmother and her friend were arrested on child abuse charges after a 2-year-old girl was found severely beaten and suffering from potential life-threatening injuries on Saturday.
Desirae Nichole Vargas, 30, is charged with a first-degree felony count of reckless child abuse resulting in death or great bodily harm.
18-year-old friend, Anika Samario, is charged with one third-degree felony count of child abuse.
Shortly after 7 a.m. on Saturday, March 23, Las Cruces police were dispatched to Vargas' home after a neighbor heard a young child in distress. Officers arrived, spoke with Vargas, and asked to see her 2-year-old step-daughter. Officers observed the young girl have to have multiple bruises, according to LCPD. The girl was initially transported to MountainView Regional Medical Center and then to University Medical Center for advanced care.
At the hospital, the young girl was found to have multiple bruises to an eye, her face, neck, arms, torso, abdomen, back, buttocks, genitalia, legs and feet, authorities say. She also appeared to have bite marks on her buttocks. The girl remains hospitalized in El Paso.
Las Cruces police investigators learned Vargas is the girl's step-mother, and her husband, the girl’s father, was incarcerated at the time of the incident. Investigators learned that Samario and another female friend of Vargas have been staying at the residence for the past couple of days.
Samario indicated to investigators that Vargas began beating her step-daughter with a leather belt about midnight and continued doing so for most of the morning until shortly before police arrived. Samario indicated she heard the girl repeatedly ask Vargas to stop.
Two women charged after 2-year-old severely beaten in Las Cruces
Las Cruces police responded to a report of a child in distress on Saturday. A 2-year-old girl was found suffering from life-threatening injuries.
www.lcsun-news.com
Last edited by a moderator: