Thread: Family values on display

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=
/c/a/2008/04/29/BAHI10DRSV.DTL

Hayward man charged in scalding of girlfriend's 16-month-old son

Demian Bulwa, Chronicle Staff Writer

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

(136) Comments


(04-29) 15:33 PDT Hayward - --

A Hayward man didn't call 911 after he intentionally dipped his girlfriend's 16-month-old son in scalding water, inflicting critical burns to 70 percent of his body and causing his skin to peel away, according to police.

Instead, 20-year-old Christian Perez phoned his sister and her husband, police say. They picked him and the child up in their car. But they, too, failed to immediately summon the authorities.

Over the next two hours, police say, the trio drove the toddler several miles across Hayward to a Walgreen's drug store, bought ointment off the shelf and tried to apply it on the child.

They allegedly called relatives in Mexico to ask for advice, and tried to put the injured boy to bed at the sister's home.

Finally, at 1 p.m. last Thursday, while driving around again, Perez called 911 after the child began having seizures and his sister told him he was going to die, said Hayward police Lt. Chris Orrey.

The boy, whose name is not being released, was rushed to Children's Hospital Oakland in an ambulance and was later transferred to Shriners Hospital in Sacramento, where on Tuesday he remained in critical condition.

It is unclear whether he will survive, Orrey said.

Alameda County prosecutors have charged Perez with felony counts of child abuse, child endangerment, mayhem and torture. His sister, Patricia Perez, 21, and her husband, 22-year-old Jose Gamez, face felony child endangerment charges.

"If you look at the pictures," Orrey said, "it becomes clear that this baby didn't need ointment. This baby needed emergency medical care."

Perez told investigators that he accidentally splashed the toddler with scalding water after he placed him in a tub with the drain open, Orrey said.

However, she said, "the burn is from the midsection down, as if the baby was placed in water. Our medical expert (at Children's Hospital) said the suspect held the baby down in scalding hot water."

Orrey said the three suspects, who became uncooperative during their interviews with police, said they didn't seek treatment partly because they didn't have insurance.

Perez did call the child's 18-year-old mother at work during the ordeal, Orrey said, but downplayed the seriousness of the burns.

"According to the medical professionals, the baby would have been in extreme agony for about an hour," Orrey said, "and then likely went into shock."

E-mail Demian Bulwa at dbulwa@sfchronicle.com.


As if the reason they didn't go to the hospital was lack of insurance - and why were they "uncooperative" with police?
[/i]

Oh my lord ..... please lord protect this baby

If I really told you how I feel about this, I'd have to ban myself.

This man is nothing more than scum (can we even call him a man?).

Anyone, and I do not care who they are, and where they are from, should never see the light of day again when they do something like this.

To have this guy likely be an illegal alien, in this country and in SF, a known sanctuary sity, makes it more heartwrenching as if our laws had been enforced and SF did not vocally claim to be a sanctuary city, then this child would likely be safe and never have been hurt.

All we can do is pray this poor baby will survive and come out of this ok.

Originally Posted by PhredE

If I really told you how I feel about this, I'd have to ban myself.

Yes, me too!

Where is the connection between this story and illegal immigration? Their is currently no evidence to suggest that the players in this horrific act are illegal aliens.

I meant to put this under other topics and news. Someone can move it for me.

If I get more info, I'll let you know. I just found it appalling they would think it was serious enough to call family in Mexico but not take the child to a hospital. Many of the commenters felt this looked like illegals who didn't want to get deported, although getting arrested for child abuse may have been the main fear.

If they turn out to be immigrants, legal or not, then this can go back in the general discussion section.

I moved it "sofedup" to other topics ...what a sad story, so many cruel people in this world, but the worst is against and innocent baby, it makes me sick!!

The story has been updated to say it was the mother who told Perez not to take the baby to a hospital. What was her reason? Seems suspicious to me if it was only an "accident" as he claims.