HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — A 3-month-old girl was placed in the custody of Child Protective Services over the weekend after the baby was found with multiple fractures on her ribs and skull.
The injuries were pointed out by a doctor at U.S. Naval Hospital Guam on Saturday and led to charges being filed against the baby’s parents in the Superior Court of Guam.
Nica Mae Johnson, 20, and Austin Christopher Johnson, 22, were each charged with family violence and child abuse as third-degree felonies.
The parents brought the baby to the hospital after a large bump was seen on the baby’s arm and she was crying.
As part of the examination, the doctor ordered X-rays on the infant, and it was discovered the infant had multiple fractures throughout her body, including her upper arm bone, ribs, and skull.
According to the police report, the doctor reported that some of the injuries on the infant were in the process of healing, indicating that not all of the injuries were inflicted at the same time.
When the doctor told the parents of her findings, neither of them showed any emotion, which she found surprising, court documents stated.
The doctor said after she told the parents of the numerous injuries on the baby and she asked them what happened, and they both responded, “I don’t know.”
The doctor told police that “some type of force” had to be used on the baby in order to explain the injuries.
Nica Johnson told police that Austin Johnson gave the child a bath before she noticed a large bump on the victim’s arm, adding that the infant was crying, court documents stated.
The baby doesn’t have a babysitter or child care outside the home, according to court documents.
The pair were among defendants in three child abuse cases filed in local court on Monday.
Assault
In a separate and unrelated case, Vince Joey Cabrera, 39, was charged with strangulation, interfering with the reporting of family violence, child abuse, and two counts of family violence.
He is accused of assaulting two victims known to him. One of the alleged victims is 15.
Cabrera yelled at, choked and punched the adult victim before punching the teenager repeatedly in the head, court documents stated.
A witness was able to get the suspect off the first victim, court documents added.
Cabrera said he got into an argument with the witness and attacked the younger victim, court documents stated.
2-year-old grabbed by the neck
A third, unrelated case charged Jason Vince Leon Guerrero, 29, separately with aggravated assault, strangulation, and child abuse.
According to court documents, he grabbed a 2-year-old by the neck and encouraged another woman known to him to attack a teenager in Malesso’ last month.
The woman was identified in court documents as Deeana Marie Babauta, 26.
Babauta was charged separately last month on similar charges for slapping the face of the 2-year-old child, then punching the teen and placing her in a rear naked choke, court documents stated.
Both Leon Guerrero and Babauta are also facing separate drug possession charges.
