El Paso parents arrested for child abuse deny allegations, no explanation for injuries

El Paso parents arrested on child abuse charges claimed they did not know how their 6-month-old son had fractures to his skull and ribs, among other injuries, court documents state.

Jesse Hernandez, 34, and Jennifer Hernandez, 29, were arrested March 7 on suspicion of injury to a child with intent to cause serious bodily injury, El Paso County Sheriff's Office officials said.

Both remain jailed at the El Paso County Jail on $200,000 bonds after El Paso Magistrate Judge Humberto Acosta denied a bond reduction March 9, court records show. Jesse Hernandez is also being held without bond on a probation violation charge from a previous aggravated assault with a deadly weapon arrest, jail records show.

The boy's current condition was not released. No information was released on where the injured child and his siblings are being cared for while the parents are in jail.

Jose Troche is listed as Jesse Hernandez's attorney in court records. An official from Jose Troche Law Office said they would not comment on the case and Troche was no longer the attorney representing Jesse Hernandez.

Jennifer Hernandez is being represented by a public defender, court records show. El Paso County Public Defender's Office officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

Infant suffered medical emergency

The 6-month-old boy, who is identified only as R.H. in court documents, suffered a medical emergency about 10:20 a.m. Feb. 20 at Los Hernandez Pallets business, 13682 Guerrero Drive in far East El Paso, a complaint affidavit states.

Emergency crews arrived at the business and took the boy to Del Sol Medical Center while performing CPR on him. Deputies arrived at the business and questioned Jesse Hernandez about what happened to the boy.

Jesse Hernandez told deputies the boy had been diagnosed with a respiratory syncytial virus the week before and was prescribed a nebulizer treatment, the affidavit states. He claimed he gave the boy the medicine and noticed his son went limp and unconscious.

He told deputies he began rubbing the boy's back and performing CPR. He said he did not call 911 because he was trying to help the boy, the affidavit states.

Jennifer Hernandez arrived about five to 10 minutes later and called 911, the affidavit states.

Doctors find visible trauma injuries

Deputies went to Del Sol Medical Center and talked to medical staff. The staff said the child had "visible injuries caused by non-accidental trauma." The initial injuries found included bruises on the boy's right cheek that appeared to be a bite mark, abrasions on his nose and both ears and a large bruise on the boy's right buttock, the affidavit states.

Deputies questioned Jennifer Hernandez at Del Sol Medical Center. She initially claimed she, Jesse Hernandez, the boy and their 1-year-old child arrived at the Los Hernandez Pallets after taking their older two children to school.

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She said Jesse Hernandez gave the boy Albuterol and Histex medications to treat the boy's respiratory syncytial virus. She said she and Jesse Hernandez were both present when the boy was given the medication, the affidavit states. Jesse Hernandez told her the boy had slumped over and became unconscious after receiving the medication.

Jennifer Hernandez allegedly charged her story later, claiming she prepared the medication and left the boy and his sibling in Jesse Hernandez's care while she went to a gas station. She returned about 15 minutes later and saw Jesse Hernandez had given the medication and the boy became unresponsive, the affidavit states.

She denied the boy had suffered any trauma, falls or accidents. Deputies asked her about the boy's facial bruising. Jennifer Hernandez replied the boy had been bitten by a sibling about two or three days earlier, the affidavit states. She claimed she did not notice any visible injuries to her son's buttocks.

Del Sol Medical Center staff notified deputies that they found a right temporal skull fracture and rib fractures on the boy. The injuries appeared to be "in different stages of healing," the affidavit states.

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The boy was taken to University Medical Center for further medical treatment.

On Feb. 27, a Child Abuse Resources Education Services clinic doctor told deputies a skeletal survey performed on the boy showed he had an acute right skull fracture, left healing rib fractures, acute right rib fractures, and an acute left radial fracture that were deemed to be non-accidental, the affidavit states.

On March 5, a University Medical Center pediatric radiologist told deputies the boy's skull fracture was sustained within hours of the Feb. 20 medical emergency suffered by the boy. The radiologist added "significant force was used to cause the victim's injuries and the mechanisms of injury given by (the parents) did not coincide with the victim's injuries," the affidavit states.

Parents deny abusing 6-month-old son

Jesse Hernandez was questioned by deputies at the El Paso County Sheriff's Office headquarters on the day of the boy's medical emergency.

He told deputies the boy had fallen off his bed and the office sofa at the business in the past, but did not give any dates. Jesse Hernandez was unable to explain how the boy suffered his injuries, the affidavit states.

Jennifer Hernandez was later questioned by deputies two times after deputies were first notified Feb. 27 of the severity of the injuries suffered by the boy.

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She maintained that, to her knowledge, the boy did not sustain additional injuries and denied physically abusing him, the affidavit states. She added she was unable to explain the boy's injuries and claimed the boy did not show any behavioral changes prior to the Feb. 20 medical incident.

Jesse Hernandez was questioned again Feb. 29 at the sheriff's office headquarters. Like his wife, he maintained he had no knowledge of the boy sustaining additional injuries and denied physically abusing him, the affidavit states. He also was unable to explain the injuries found on the boy and claimed the boy did not show any behavioral changes.

Arrest warrants were issued March 6 for the parents. They were both arrested March 7 by the El Paso County Sheriff's Office Special Victim's Unit and Fugitive Apprehension Unit deputies, sheriff's officials said.

Aaron Martinez may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com or on Twitter @AMartinezEPT.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso parents arrested for child abuse deny allegations