In Texas, Rodolfo Ponce, 25 year-old, was arrested and faces capital murder charges for the death of three month old, Vanessa Ponce. The baby died one week ago after suffering injuries consistent with child abuse. Police arrived to the apartment located on Stevens Village Drive to find the child not breathing. The autopsy revealed a lacerated liver with broken bones. Currently, Mr. Ponce is held in the Dallas County Jail.
According to the CDC, children between the ages of 0 – 36 months make up a majority of the morbidity and mortality rate for Abusive Head Trauma (AHT). Parents are often the perpetrators of AHT. Child maltreatment comes in many forms, with physical abuse being the most overt form of child abuse. It is well known that child abuse can result in brain injury and costly, chronic health problems. What begins as an acute episodic traumatic event often translates in to long term disability.
