ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – An Abilene 5-year-old died after suffering what doctors say was “non-accidental” fractures, bruises, hematomas , head trauma, and more.
Danny Duarte was arrested for Injury to a Child in July in connection to the child’s death, which occurred after an incident an an Abilene home June 25.
Court documents state first responders arrived at the home after Duarte called 9-1-1 and found the child unresponsive and not breathing. She had defecated and also had a runny, brown liquid near her mouth.
Emergency personnel was able to restore her pulse and get her to the hospital, where the documents state doctors signed a document saying that her injuries, including a skull fracture, intracranial hemorrhage, a spleen injury, and intra-abdominal bleeding, created a substantial risk for death.
Duarte, who was the only one present when the child was injured, told officers he was in another room when he heard a “bang” in the kitchen, so he rushed in and saw the girl on the floor and not breathing, according to the documents. That’s when he called the child’s mother, who told him to call 9-1-1. He says he then performed CPR, per the 9-1-1 operator’s instructions.
The child’s mother told police she left to run an errand at 4:07 p.m., received an alert that her child was out of bed 5 minutes later, then received the call from Duarte that the child wasn’t breathing a 4:35 p.m.
A doctor at Cook Children’s Medical Center was able to determine the child suffered what the documents state is “non-accidental” “abusive” head trauma, a shattered spleen, a pancreas injury, as well as multiple hematomas, hemorrhages, and bruises. The child died a few days after arriving in Ft. Worth.
Duarte remains held in jail without bond for warrants unrelated to this crime.