Ogden mother knew of child’s abuse, police allege, but said nothing

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OGDEN — A woman who told police that she knew her 1-year-old child was being abused by his father but didn’t say anything is facing a felony charge herself, according to court records.

Selena Jadeen Vasquez, 20, of Ogden, was charged Monday in 2nd District Court with child abuse, a third-degree felony.

The action comes on the heels of Eliseo Estrada Jr., 22, of Ogden, being charged with child abuse, a second-degree felony.

The investigation began Feb. 15 when emergency responders in Ogden took an unconscious 1-year-old boy to the hospital, according to charging documents.

One of the first police officers on scene “personally observed multiple physical injuries to the minor child, including new bruising, which covered his face and head, old bruising and stages of bruising in between. The minor child had open bleeding injuries to the head,” the charges state. “While speaking with the defendant, officers were informed that the minor child was sent to Primary Children’s Hospital because he was suffering from bleeding on the brain.”

Vasquez and Estrada initially claimed the boy’s injuries were self-inflicted by banging his head against a wall, the charges state.

Police later learned of the extent of the boy’s injuries as doctors found “a litany of bruises on his legs, hands, arms and body. The minor child also has open sores on his front-facing hip bones that appear to be from a diaper rubbing against the skin for prolonged periods of time,” the charges state.

Estrada eventually admitted to causing the injuries “out of frustration,” according to charging documents.

During follow-up investigation, Vasquez was questioned by police again. She said she did not cause the injuries, but “acknowledged the injuries were occurring and did nothing to prevent or treat them nor seek medical attention therein,” the charges state.

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