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We’re not sure what’s more disturbing: the fact that Anjelica Jimenez allowed her boyfriend to use a 4-month-old as an ashtray, or the fact that the baby was placed in Jimenez’s care by Child Protective Services.
Regardless, Jimenez, 25, was in a Maricopa County court this morning where she pleaded guilty to one count of child abuse for standing by as her boyfriend abused the baby.
When CPS placed the 4-month-old in Jimenez’s care, she didn’t bother to tell the CPS caseworker that her convicted felon boyfriend was living with her in her apartment. In fact, she told CPS he doesn’t live with her.
But 30-year-old Steven Saldana, who police say has a vast criminal history, was living with her — and he allegedly was abusing the baby; police found a cigarette burn on the infant’s body, which is nothing compared to the 14 broken bones the girl suffered, allegedly at the hands of Saldana. Not to mention the multiple bruises and abrasions doctors found all over the girl’s body.
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Luckily, the baby lived.
According to the Chandler Police Department, the baby was rushed to the
hospital on August 3, after Jimenez discovered she wasn’t breathing.
Doctors resuscitated the girl — then the discovered the apparent abuse.
Jimenez initially told police she was alone with the baby when the girl
stopped breathing. Family crimes detectives later learned that was a
lie, and that Saldana was also in the apartment.
Turns out, Saldana started abusing the baby on July 31. Jimenez never
reported the abuse to police, and even let Saldana return to the
apartment after finding out about it.
At the time of the couple’s arrest, Chandler Detective Seth Tyler told New Times it was unclear why CPS placed the baby in Jimenez’s care. He said, though, that she’s a friend of the baby’s mother, who had recently lost custody of the girl.
Saldana still faces three counts of child abuse. Jimenez’s sentencing is scheduled for February 21, in front of Maricopa Superior Court Judge Robert Gottsfield.
