On the night of the abuse, the mother was asleep when her boyfriend and her daughter returned from visiting the man’s parents. When she went to check on the child after she woke up, the mother found severe sweIIing on the side of her head. The boyfriend reportedly told the girl’s mother he thought her daughter might have fallen off of a chair at his parents’ house. But doctors said the injuries were inconsistent with a fall.

Per reports, the suspect, later identified as Andrew, was reportedly arrested for scaIping a 3-year-old girl. The girl’s mother, Noel, reportedly discovered swelling on her daughter’s head and took her to a nearby hospital. The girl was then transferred to a children’s hospital, and Child Protective Services subsequently notified the Sheriff’s Department about suspected abuse. ScaIping is the process of forcibly removing the scaIp from a person’s skull. It causes internaI bIeeding and results in bruising and swelling.

During the investigation, it was revealed that Andrew allegedly struck the girl several times on the head and pulled her hair. He was taken into custody on a charge of battery resulting in serious bodily injury to a person less than 14 years of age. He was held in lieu of $25,000 bail. “When will females learn to not trust these bf’s and random guys around your kids?” one reader commented on Facebook. “You have a responsibility to your children first and foremost. Never leave them with anybody. Trust is earned not granted. You don’t sacrifice your children for anyone. Tragic.” 

“YES he definitely needs some serious punishment but I still can’t understand a MOTHER that would leave a child with a stranger and taking her to a party by himself that would be a red flag for me never never leave your child with people you don’t know !!!!!!” another wrote. Some readers called for the mother to be held responsible because she left her daughter alone with her boyfriend. “Arrest the mother too!” one reader commented. “Sick and tired of children being abused maimed and killed at the hands of some stupid women’s boyfriend. She should be sterilized as well.”