ODESSA, Texas — A 26-year-old man is accused of throwing a shoe at a baby, placing her face under running water and squeezing the child’s thumbs, authorities said.
Sergio Adbel Ponce was arrested Tuesday and charged with injury to a child, a second-degree felony, the Odessa American reported.
According to an affidavit from the Odessa Police Department, officers conducted a welfare check on a child on July 17 but the residence was empty.
Officers then contacted Jennifer Juarez, who had requested the welfare check, the American reported. Juarez claimed she saw a baby on a couch, crying, and that the child had swollen lips and eyes, along with two bumps on her forehead.
On July 21, police contacted Cassandra Gomez, who claimed she saw Ponce holding the baby under running water on two different occasions, the newspaper reported.
According to the affidavit, Gomez said Ponce held the baby under water in a shower and then later in a sink.
Older siblings told police that Ponce threw a shoe at the baby, the American reported. The children also claimed Ponce threw the baby onto a couch and squeezed her thumbs until she cried, the newspaper reported.
Ponce was arrested and booked into the Ector County Law Enforcement Center on Tuesday, according to jail records. He remains in jail on $35,000 bail.
Cox Media Group
