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SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake City woman faces child abuse charges after police say she dropped her 6-month-old niece while walking up a flight of stairs.
Rubi Blanco-Lopez, 19, was charged with abuse or neglect of a disabled child, a third-degree felony, according to documents filed Monday in 3rd District Court.
The infant sustained a skull fracture in the incident.
The child's father told police he left his daughter at home in the care of his sister-in-law. When he arrived home, his daughter was crying and could not be calmed for some time, the charges state.
The child's mother told police that when she arrived home, her daughter was crying and had difficulty falling asleep. The next day, the child cried often, vomited and was lethargic, the charges state.
Blanco-Lopez told the child's parents that the girl had fallen backward while sitting and hit her head, the charges state. According to court documents, the child was examined and found to have received a skull fracture and was suffering from swelling near the top of her head.
The examining doctor told police the child's injuries were inconsistent with falling from a seated position.
After being questioned on the inconsistency of her story and the child's injuries, Blanco-Lopez admitted to police that she had dropped the girl on a hard surface while walking up a flight of stairs, the charges state.
