- Lizbeth Hurtado-Breton faces 13 first-degree felonies accusing her of physically abusing her 4-month-old baby.
- Charges include child torture and aggravated child abuse for severe injuries inflicted.
- The father may face charges for allegedly allowing the abuse to occur unreported, the charges say.
MIDVALE — A Midvale mother was charged Thursday with more than a dozen felonies after she was arrested last week for allegedly abusing her 4-month-old daughter by doing such things as burning her face, taping her mouth shut and taping her hands behind her back.
Lizbeth Hurtado-Breton, 36, is charged in 3rd District Court with child torture and 13 counts of aggravated child abuse, all first-degree felonies.
The investigation began on Sept. 30 when Unified police were called to investigate a possible child abuse situation.
Police responded to Primary Children's Hospital where they found a 4-month-old baby "being treated for severe burns on her face and head. (She) also had what appeared to be purple dye covering the burns on her face. (Her) right eye appeared to be swollen shut, and she had detached hair stuck in the burns on her face and right ear," according to charging documents.
Additional tests showed the baby was also suffering from a brain bleed, two fractured ribs, and other fractures that were in different stages of healing, the charges state.
A 13-year-old stepbrother told detectives that "he felt like 'everything with his sister started about two months ago' and expressed concern because Hurtado-Breton 'treated the baby really poorly and has never treated his other sister that way,'" according to the charges.
When the girl's father got home and noticed the baby's face was "destroyed," he asked Hurtado-Breton what happened.
"She responded that she had done a 'treatment' on her and then described to him that the day prior, she 'boiled water, salt, and eucalyptus in a pot on the stove because (the baby) had been 'congested' and 'held her over the steam," the charges allege.
Hurtado-Breton said she did this "treatment" twice, the court documents say.
The father also told police that he arrived home from work on another occasion and found the baby had "medical tape over her mouth. He said he questioned Hurtado-Breton, who said that she covered her mouth with tape because (the baby) had been crying," according to the charges.
On another occasion, the father arrived home to find the baby with "both of her arms bound with medical tape behind her back. Hurtado-Breton told (him) that (the baby) would not eat, and she did not want her to 'resist' when she was trying to feed her," the charges state.
The father "further described that Hurtado-Breton would 'force feed' (the baby) and 'shove the bottle into (her mouth) and said that he observed Hurtado-Breton force a bottle into (the baby's) mouth to the point where (she) 'could not breathe,'" charging documents say. He told police he observed what he thought was blood coming out of the baby's mouth at one point, but Hurtado-Breton allegedly claimed it was medicine.
When questioned, Hurtado-Breton claimed she wrapped the baby in a blanket and put her in front of a "humidifier" to relieve congestion. But investigators soon clarified that the humidifier was really a pot of boiling water on the stove, the charges state.
After the second time doing this, prosecutors say Hurtado-Breton "described wiping the victim's face off, literally. She observed the skin was dead and coming off in a napkin."
"The victim has suffered extensive injuries and is currently still in the hospital with an unknown release date and an unknown prognosis regarding permanent damage or recovery," prosecutors said.
The father could also face criminal charges, according to the court documents.
Prosecutors say he "made the choice to watch and document the abuse, made the choice to allow the abuse to happen, made the choice not to seek medical care when needed, and made the choice not to seek help from professionals or law enforcement. And while he did admit that he intervened on some occasions, and also discussed with Hurtado-Brenton that she could not treat the victim as she was, it wasn't enough, and as a result, the victim suffered extreme and painful injuries and abuse."
As of Thursday afternoon, no charges had been filed against the father.
Police say the couple, originally from Mexico, also reported that they did not go to the hospital previously because they feared they would be "taken away," the charges say.
Child abuse resources:
- Utah Domestic Violence Coalition operates a confidential statewide, 24-hour domestic abuse hotline at 1-800-897-LINK (5465). Resources are also available online: udvc.org. The statewide child abuse and neglect hotline is 1-855-323-DCFS (3237).
- The Utah Division of Child and Family Services offers counseling, teaches parenting skills and conflict resolution and can connect families with community resources. Its goal is to keep children with their family when it is "possible and safe." Visit dcfs.utah.gov/contact-us/ or call 801-538-4100.
- The Christmas Box House acts as a temporary shelter for children and can provide them with new clothing and shoes, among other services. Call the Salt Lake office at 801-747-2201 or the Ogden office at 801-866-0350.
