Police arrested a Phoenix woman after her 2-month-old son was taken to a local children’s hospital for treatment of multiple broken bones and THC in his system over the weekend, authorities said.
Luz Adriana Saldierna was taken into custody after she brought the boy to Phoenix Children’s Hospital on Saturday unable to move his left arm, according to the Phoenix Police Department.
Staff at the hospital said the victim had a broken leg, a broken arm and two broken ribs, Phoenix television station KPHO reported Monday.
He also tested positive for THC, prompting the hospital to report the possible abuse.
Saldierna originally said it happened when the boy was with a babysitter two days prior, but then admitted to lying about it, according to court documents obtained by KPHO.
Then she told police a sibling fell on top of the boy while he was strapped into a stationary swing set in the bedroom of their apartment. But police said that was also untrue, the documents stated.
Saldierna ultimately admitted to getting frustrated with the boy when he didn’t drink his bottled formula and threw the bottle at the boy, hitting him, the court documents said.
She also got frustrated with her boyfriend and with the child crying, so she pulled the child’s arm, lifting him out of the swing set, police said.
She tried to explain the THC in his system by saying she had recently smoked marijuana and then kissed the child, according to police.
Saldierna denied breaking the boy’s leg, but she did admit to having resentment toward the child because she felt overwhelmed with household duties, the station reported. She also she considered getting an abortion but couldn’t do it in time, court documents said.
“I feel traumatized, I feel sad because I held that baby in my hands,” neighbor Camile Ross told KPHO. “I was right there talking to her, I talk to them every day almost.”
Saldierna was booked into jail on suspicion of child abuse.
She had a $5,000 bond, which she posted and has been released, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said.
As a condition of her release, she is not allowed to see the 2-month-old boy, according to the TV station. Any contact with other children must be supervised.
