By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
editor@sbnewspaper.com
Gloria Emilia Gonzalez
A San Benito stepmom is still in custody on two counts of injury to a child, charges which stem from accusations that she used pliers to pull her stepdaughter’s tongue.
Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio said 34-year-old Gloria Emilia Gonzalez of San Benito was arrested Tuesday and charged with two counts of injury to a child. The sheriff said the charges came as a result of an investigation by Child Protective Services (CPS).
“At first she (victim) denied the injuries, but a CPS investigator found bruises on her breast, and then they talked to someone from the family. At that point, the girl said she (stepmom) had done it,” Lucio said. According to the sheriff, the young girl’s account included allegations that Gonzalez kicked the stepdaughter in her private parts and on her rear as well as shoving her against an oven, burning one of her legs and leaving a scar.
It’s also been alleged that the girl’s breasts were pinched to force her to open her mouth, this so the accused could pull her tongue using pliers. Lucio said the girl displayed cuts on her lips, injuries which, according to reports, occurred in April and May. Investigators have yet to report what motivated the alleged abuse.
Meanwhile, 35-year-old Victor Mauricio Gonzalez, the girl’s father and the suspect’s husband, was also arrested. He was charged with tampering with evidence after he allegedly told his five-year-old son to withhold information from investigators.
Gloria Emilia Gonzalez’s bond was set at a total of $80,000 – $40,000 for each count of injury to a child – and Victor Mauricio Gonzalez was released on $7,500 bond. As of presstime, Gloria Emilia Gonzalez remained incarcerated at the Carrizales-Rucker Detention Center in Olmito. U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement has also filed a detainer against her.
To see this story in print, pick up a copy of the July 24 edition of the San Benito News. Or view our E-Edition by clicking here.
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