WEST VALLEY CITY — A West Valley mother is facing a felony charge accusing her of hitting her son with a coat hanger, pulling his hair and burning his hand.
Maira Castillo, 34, was charged Monday in 3rd District Court with aggravated child abuse, a first-degree felony.
A 10-year-old boy reported in September that his mother, Castillo, "burned his finger because he burned his bird," according to charging documents. The boy told investigators that he "burned his bird's hair," but additional information about what kind of bird and if it was injured was not immediately available.
Allegedly because of that, however, "Castillo became angry and hit him with a coat hanger. (He) described that Castillo hit him on the hand with a coat hanger and pointed to his right hand. (The boy) said Castillo also put his hand 'under a heating lamp,'" the charges allege. "(He) described that Castillo was 'going nuts' and 'biting (his) hair' and punching 'right here' while pointing to the top of his head."
When questioned by police, Castillo admitted to pulling on the boy's head but commented that "no hair had come out of his head," and holding his hand to a heat lamp and "forced his finger to touch the heat lamp," according to the charges.
She said she later put toothpaste on his blistered finger and wrapped it up, the charges say.
