2024-02-13 06:25:04
GLENDALE – A Sonora man is accused of causing the death of Ian Alejandro García Machado, one year and nine months old, his partner’s son. Court documents detail that the minor died from injuries caused by constant abuse; The victim’s mother was also charged with child abuse.
On Thursday, February 8 at approximately 6:37 p.m., Glendale Police received a call from Garcia Machado’s mother, however, due to the language barrier, the call might not be completed.
According to court documents, the mother identified as María Machado Pérez, 20, went to a CVS with García Machado in her hands to ask for help because she was not breathing. The pharmacy immediately contacted 911 to report the case.
The agents arrived at approximately 6:44 pm and found García Machado without a pulse. After attempts were made to save his life, he was taken to Banner Thunderbird Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
Officers noticed bruising on García Machado’s face, chest, arms, legs and back. When asking the mother regarding the bruises, she managed to say that they were previously involved in a car accident.
At the scene, the agents observed that Francisco Félix-Higuera, 23, led them to the pharmacy. The mother stated that Félix Higuera was her romantic partner and they had a 6-month-old son but that he was not García Machado’s father. They both lived in a room in the area of 64th Avenue and Rose Lane along with the two minors.
HOW DID IT ALL HAPPEN?
Both the mother and Félix-Higuera were questioned by detectives and stated that they had been in a romantic relationship since García Machado was 2 months old and that they moved to the United States from Mexico so they had no relatives living with them.
García Machado’s mother told detectives that he normally stayed home while Félix-Higuera went out to work.
When asked regarding García Machado’s bruises, the mother said that the family has been involved in several accidents, including a car accident that occurred 15 days before this incident where García Machado was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected forward, causing injuries.
In addition to that incident, the mother indicated that three days before this incident, García Machado had fallen in the shower and hit the back of his head. Later, the mother changed her version and said that the event had occurred one day before the incident where García Machado had fallen on his face.
In her statement to detectives, the mother admitted seeing her partner hit García Machado in the face and body several times with a belt.
After interrogation, García Machado’s mother told detectives that on the day of the incident she went out to work all day and that she saw her son in good condition. She later claimed to have received several text messages from Félix-Higuera while she was working.
In the text messages he indicated that Félix Higuera told him that he had taken the children to play in the park and that García Machado had suffered a fall that caused damage to his health.
According to the mother, this damage deteriorated and it was then that she received the video call from Félix-Higuera showing García Machado that he was not responding and demanded that he return home immediately.
They both decided not to take García Machado to the hospital because they feared being questioned regarding the bruises and explaining regarding the constant falls.
Félix-Higuera told detectives that the mother occasionally worked cleaning houses and on the day of the incident she was left in charge of the minors. Additionally, he told detectives regarding the car accident where the minor suffered injuries but denied that the windshields were damaged by the impact; a different version than the one the mother gave to the detectives.
After giving his version of why García Machado had so many bruises and marks on his body, Félix-Higuera finally confessed to throwing García Machado from a height of approximately 4 feet into the crib.
Félix-Higuera told detectives that he cursed at García Machado while throwing him into his crib. Then he saw him vomit in the crib.
During the investigation, detectives responded to the couple’s residence, where they observed several items, including children’s clothing, containing vomit. Additionally, officials saw a substance that appeared to be dried blood on a pillow.
All the people who lived with the couple stated that on the day of the incident the mother went out to work all day and that the children were left in the care of Félix Higuera. They also stated that they never heard screams or cries all day and that García Machado did not have any bruises on his face the day before the incident.
The autopsy indicated that García Machado had testicular hemorrhage, damage to the soft tissues of the rectum, hemorrhages in the subscalp and multiple hematomas in different parts of the body.
In addition, it was reported that García Machado had a chest injury caused by a belt, injuries to his right thigh and buttocks that apparently were frequent; and several broken bones.
The main injury that appears to have caused García Machado’s death was a laceration to the liver and intestine. These injuries caused García Machado to bleed internally until he died in a matter of hours.
The mother faces a charge of child abuse, while Félix Higuera faces another charge of first-degree murder.
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