Monterey County, Calif. - A shocking crime in North Monterey County. Sheriff deputies arrested a man
Thursday, whom they said violently abused his 2-month-old daughter.
Deputies said Cornelio Espinoza threw his
baby and strangled his wife last night in the Las Lomas area.
This is one of several disturbing child crimes
on the Central Coast. So
the center for investigative action went to work to discover just how bad this problem
is.
"Most cases occur the serious cases occur
when the children are infants and toddlers," said Monterey County Assistant
District Attorney Stephanie Hulsey. "You can't help but take that home with you
to some degree."
The Asst. Dist. Atty. Hulsey who
supervises the child abuse cases said each case is an opportunity to teach
parents this abuse and neglect is unacceptable.
"Sometimes what we see is severe bruising
and just to see those bruises to us, is a felony child abuse case," said
Hulsey.
In the last six months, the district
attorney's office filed 10 felony child abuse cases. Three of the victims died
including 2-year-old Pricilla Hernandez.
Investigators say her mother's boyfriend
beat her to death last December.
"We've seen an increase in infants who
are severely shaken. Shaking of a baby causes severe injury to the head and
neck. We've also seen beaten up by the parents," said Elliot Robinson, director
of Social and Unemployment Services.
The district attorney's office said the three
deaths in the last six months is triple the number from the year before. The
director of Social Services called the numbers alarming and a public health
concern.
"As a system and society we need to
figure our what's happening," said Robinson.
Social Services says you can call 211 to learn
more about the signs of abuse.
