A Houston mother and her boyfriend were charged in the death of her eight-year-old as well as injuries to the child’s twin after being arrested on Friday.
The pair allegedly did not provide enough nutrition and were accused of abusing the girls, Click 2 Houston reported Monday.
Now, Ruben Moreno and Soledad Mendoza face charges of capital murder of a child under ten and two counts of injury to a child, the outlet continued:
On Dec. 21, 2020, officers responded to a welfare check at Memorial Hermann – Memorial City Hospital in regards to the death of a child, HPD stated. They learned that the Houston Fire Department paramedics had taken the child to the hospital with multiple injuries and bruises. She was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.
When an investigator arrived, they saw that the child’s body had several bruises on the legs, swollen ankles and looked extremely underweight for her age, according to court documents. The child allegedly only weighed 29 pounds and was extremely malnourished and unkempt.
Detectives later realized the child showed signs of injuries. Meanwhile, there were reportedly two additional siblings in the home who appeared to be healthy.
The intentional harm or mistreatment of a child under the age of 18 was considered to be child abuse, and physical abuse happened when a child was purposefully injured or placed at risk of being hurt, according to the Mayo Clinic’s website.
The Houston Police Department shared photos on Monday of the two suspects:
Mendoza allegedly hit the twin who died with an object, then kicked and hit her again with her hand on December 21, 2020. Moreno allegedly hit her using a belt, shoe, and also failed to give the child nutrition.
The man said he and Mendoza had one child together but apparently blamed the twins for their own condition, claiming they refused to eat.
The additional children were eventually placed in foster care and Mendoza was being held in place on $3 million bonds regarding the three charges.
“Moreno’s bond was denied for the capital murder charge and granted a combined $2 million bond for two counts of injury to a child,” the Click 2 Houston report concluded.