INDIANAPOLIS — A mom and her boyfriend have been arrested for the neglect of a 4-year-old child who was abused to the point of sedation.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, Elizabeth Guerrero and her boyfriend, Robert Bartley, are responsible for causing catastrophic injury to her 4-year-old child.
An investigation began on Sept. 24, when authorities were called to Peyton Manning Children's Hospital to investigate a child in critical condition. Medical staff described the child's condition as near fatal, and multiple injuries were on her body.
Court documents reveal medics observed a pattern of injury on the child's back consistent with being struck with a wire and multiple injuries that appeared to be cigarette burns, including on the child's genitalia.
Investigators initially interviewed Guerrero and Bartley at the hospital, where they told police that they were only in the custody of the child for a matter of days. They reportedly told police that they recently picked the child up from her father in North Carolina. Guerrero also reportedly told police that the child's father was abusive.
Guerrero's story didn't match up with police interviews with the family, who stated that the accused had been in custody of the child since July. Car rental records also revealed that the couple had rented a car and traveled to North Carolina in the month of July.
On Sept. 25, detectives were briefly able to speak with the victim. According to the affidavit, the child reportedly told police that Bartley "caused the boo-boos" and asked if he was going to jail.
The next day, the victim had to be sedated. Doctors told police that her body could not handle any stress and that she could be placed on ECMO if her heart did not improve.
On Sept. 27, Guerrero agreed to an interview with a polygraph with detectives. During the interview, Guerrero was shown photographs of the injuries on her daughter's body.
Guerrero confessed to police that she caused some of the burns with a cigarette. She also talked about her cocaine and meth use and said she burned the victim with a meth pipe at their home in Ohio.
Guerrero said the meth made her go crazy. She admitted to striking her child and told police she was "beating [her] baby" while on drugs.
Guerrero said that some of the injuries were also caused by "Daddy," her boyfriend Bartley. She told police that he would "pop" her daughter and leave bruises.
Law enforcement was able to identify the suspects' residence in Ohio. An investigation is ongoing in Ohio and North Carolina.
Medical professionals say the victim's injuries meet the definition of "catastrophic injury," and that there will be problems with her heart and kidneys for at least a year. Cognitive disabilities in the future are unclear. At this time, the victim is still sedated and on a ventilator.
WATCH | Latest Headlines
