By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
editor@sbnewspaper.com
Mario Prado
Sarah Elizabeth Cox
A San Benito woman and her common law husband were arrested Tuesday on three counts of injury to a child, charges which stem from accusations that the couple was allegedly responsible for burning, biting and beating a 1-year-old girl.
Detective Rogelio Banda Jr. of San Benito Police Department reported that 20-year-old Sarah Elizabeth Cox and her live-in boyfriend, 38-year-old Mario Prado, were arrested at approximately 7:45 a.m. Feb. 12 in connection with said crimes. Felony warrants had been issued by the City of San Benito Municipal Court for the arrest of Cox and Prado; SBPD officers then executed the warrants at Cox and Prado’s San Benito residence, located on the 300 block of N. Reagan Street, reportedly without incident.
Justice of the Peace David Garza set both suspects’ bonds at $300,000 each – $100,000 per count. Cox and Prado are currently incarcerated at the Carrizales-Rucker Detention Center.
According to a Municipal Court affidavit for Cox and Prado’s arrest, suspicions of abuse may have first arose in December, when the child’s former foster parents observed numerous injuries on the girl when caring for her. The affidavit – citing testimony from Cox and the former foster mother – reads that the former foster parents previously cared for the 1-year-old when she had been removed from Cox in October 2011, this due to what the 20-year-old said in her statement to police was a “minor drug problem.” Cox’ statement also reads that it wasn’t until September 2012 that, after she completed drug counseling, parenting classes and random drug testing by Child Protective Services, that the girl was returned to her.
The child’s injuries, according to witness testimony gathered by police, were reportedly observed during instances in which the foster parents cared for the 1-year-old girl, this as a result of Cox giving birth to a another child in the fall as well as falling ill in December. In fact, it was several witness testimonies from individuals, including the former foster parents and CPS special investigators and caseworkers, that indicated the child’s injuries consisted of bite marks on her head, scabs on her scalp, bruising throughout her body and what was described by SBPD Officer Manuel Alvarez as “a big open puss (sic) leaking wound on the bottom of the child’s foot (sic) on the heel.”
During a visit to Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen, where the child had been taken to treat her injuries, a CPS caseworker stated, “… as explained by the CART nurse it (foot injury) appeared to be a burn to which the child either stepped on something hot or something hot was pressed against her foot.” The CPS caseworker further reported in a statement that there was also bruising on the girl’s forehead that – while possibly in “different stages of healing.”
Both Cox and Prado, in their statements to police, denied harming the child and alleged that the injuries were self-inflicted, claiming that the 1-year-old often hit her head against a wall and pulled out her own hair. The suspects also blamed a wooden crib for the foot injury, stating to police that the girl may have “rubbed her foot on (sic) crib which caused her to sustain the injury.”
Judge Garza said Tuesday afternoon that the 1-year-old girl and Cox’ new-born baby are currently in the care of foster parents.
Read this story in the Feb. 13 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.
3 comments
Ms Gaby, I hope when you look into it , you get to have her. Keep us informed.
I would really want to know what happen to the baby she is my niece and I miss her very much. Her mother Sarah left with the baby and never brought her for a visit she said she lived in browsville which I never believed. I hear that the baby was in foster care but then given back to her I was so worried. I would really want to know if I can have custody of the baby.
Hi, Vivian is doing very good