HOUSTON - In what Houston police call "the worst case of abuse ever seen," a young mother and father were charged with the alleged sexual abuse of their 6-month-old daughter, Local 2 reported Friday.
Police filed a serious bodily injury to a child charge against the baby's parents, Ivan Castaneda, 21, and Donna Marie Norman, 19. However, if the child dies, the charges could be upgraded to capital murder.
Castaneda and Norman were taken in for questioning Wednesday after Texas Children's Hospital workers notified police that their daughter showed signs of abuse and sexual assault.
Investigators said the infant remains in critical condition at the hospital with multiple internal and external injuries throughout her body.
"This is the worst case of abuse that I've personally seen," Houston Police Department Sgt. Randy Upton said. "She had some skull fractures, brain contusions, hemorrhaging, liver injuries, lung and kidney problems, signs of sexual abuse, as well as a severe laceration across her tongue."
Doctors found more injuries upon closer examination.
"In addition to all the internal injuries she had, she also had two broken legs and a broken arm and a broken vertebrae," said Estella Olquin, with Child Protective Services.
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Police said the baby was breathing on her own Friday but is reportedly experiencing internal bleeding.
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The judge ordered that family members have no contact with the children.
"We're going to want to know how is it that these family members that are parents around these children didn't know that they were so hurt," Olquin said.
"I'm just in awe. I love them girls," said Johnny Norman, Donna Norman's father. "I love my daughter to death. I care for Ivan and Donna both, man, but this is really unacceptable."
Castaneda and Norman were placed behind bars Friday without bond. If convicted of injury to a child, each faces up to 99 years in prison.
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6915523/
(there are photos of this wonderful couple at the link)