ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — A three-year-old child remains admitted to Wolfson’s Children’s Hospital with significant brain injury, stemming from abuse charges in November for the father Juan Rivera-Vazquez, according to St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.
The child is unable to safely eat on their own, requiring a feeding tube, SJSO said.
On Nov. 16, deputies with SJSO and Fire Rescue personnel responded to a residence on Richie Dr. in reference to an unresponsive three-year-old child, according to SJSO.
When deputies arrived to the scene Rivera-Vasquez was performing CPR on the child, who was limp on the couch and turning purple, according to SJSO.
The child sustained numerous visible injuries, include bruising and swelling to both eyelids and eyebrows, upper left side of their face and additional bruising to the neck, deputies said.
Deputies said they observed a scratch and bruise on the child's forehead and reported seeing a marijuana pipe and prescription medications inside the residence in plain view.
Fire Rescue personnel were able to establish a pulse on the child and take him to the hospital.
The child was taken to Wolfson’s Hospital in critical condition, and is expected to suffer significant developmental delays for the remainder of their life, SJSO said. Because of the injuries the child suffered, a shortened life expectancy is likely, SJSO said.
Due to the nature and severity of the situation, the Major Crimes Unit began an investigation. A search warrant was obtained for the residence, which was reportedly found to be in deplorable condition. Several items of evidence were collected, to include narcotics, a stolen firearm, and ammunition, according to SJSO.
There was dog feces in a dog crate, possible vomit on the child's sheet, food on the stove which deputies said looked to be from the night before. A firearm, ammunition, pills and marijuana were present, SJSO said.
Interviews were conducted with the child’s father, Juan Rivera-Vazquez and his girlfriend, Katelyn Wills, 27. Both provided statements which ultimately proved to be inconsistent with the facts and evidence, SJSO said.
Rivera-Vasquez told deputies he walked into the child's bedroom around 9:30 a.m. and saw one child jumping on another on the bottom bunk of a bunk bed. He said that's when he saw the unresponsive child, face down on the mattress with a fresh red mark on the forehead, according to SJSO.
It was also learned that Juan Rivera-Vasquez was a convicted felon with previous convictions for child abuse, narcotics possession and firearms related charges.
In the subsequent months, detectives with the Major Crimes Unit in conjunction with the University of Florida’s First Coast Child Protection Team determined the child’s life altering injuries were caused by “a traumatic event, due to child abuse, which subsequently stopped the child’s heart and breathing,” SJSO said.
As a result of the interviews, evidence and medical findings, an arrest warrant was obtained for Juan Vazquez for aggravated child abuse, possession of a firearm by convicted felon and possession of marijuana over 20 grams, with $175,000 Bond.
His girlfriend, Katelyn Wills is charged with possession of a schedule II controlled substance with a $25,000 Bond, according to SJSO.
Both are currently incarcerated in the St. Johns County Jail.
