Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald has charged three Pontiac residents, 43 year old Arturo Bazan, 42 year old Dulce Bazan, and 24 year old Carlos Bazan Hernandez, with two counts each of First Degree Child Abuse and Torture after two severely malnourished children were rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
According to investigators, the case came to light on November 17 when a 9 year old boy was brought to Trinity Hospital in Pontiac and went into cardiac arrest. Doctors found he was suffering from extreme malnutrition, liver failure, and weighed just 33 pounds. Medical staff also documented multiple injuries on his body consistent with ongoing physical abuse.
A second victim, an 11 year old child, was also evaluated and found to be severely malnourished. That victim weighed 43 pounds when admitted. Prosecutors say both children are the biological children of Arturo Bazan. The two younger children in the home, who share both Arturo and Dulce as parents, were reportedly healthier and receiving more food, according to statements from the victims.
Officials say the two older victims told authorities they had been intentionally given less food than their younger siblings. Prosecutors also noted the children had been pulled out of school in September after the family allegedly told school staff they were moving, cutting off a major point of contact that could have detected the abuse sooner.
“It’s unconscionable that anyone, let alone parents, would willfully starve children,” said Prosecutor McDonald. “The allegations in this case are horrifying. My thoughts right now are with these children and the caregivers working to help them recover from what appears to be a nightmare situation.”
“The child abuse cases we are seeing right now are nothing short of heartbreaking and enraging,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in a statement. “In this case especially, the suffering these children endured might have been stopped sooner had the legislation I called on the Legislature to pass been enacted — a simple, common-sense safeguard that would prevent a child from being unenrolled from school without verified confirmation of their safety and status elsewhere. No child should ever fall through the cracks like this. We will not rest until those responsible are held fully and unequivocally accountable.”
All three defendants face life maximum felonies. First Degree Child Abuse and Torture each carry potential sentences of any term of years up to life in prison.
Charges are accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Discuss this on our Faceboook page:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15tuEzQzAF/
