Ridgecrest Police Arrest Man After Infant Suffers Life-Threatening Injuries

Hospital report triggered suspected-abuse investigation

RIDGECREST, Calif. — Ridgecrest police are investigating suspected child abuse after a 6-month-old infant arrived at Ridgecrest Regional Hospital with severe, life-threatening injuries, according to an official department release and a separate report published Monday by BakersfieldNow.

Police said officers responded to the hospital at approximately 10:34 p.m. September 2. Sergeant Pietrangelo, Sergeant Arnold and Detective Solorzano took over the investigation into how the child was injured.

The department reported a brain bleed, significant bruising and swelling to the infant's face. Because of the severity of the injuries, the child was airlifted to a higher-level medical facility.

Read the source: Ridgecrest Police Department: September 5 official release ↗

Police said the infant might not survive

Hospital staff told officers that the infant was in critical condition and might not survive, according to the police release. The department did not publish a newer medical update, and What’s the Scoop With Broach is not describing the child as deceased or recovered without current confirmation.

The infant's identity is being withheld. The police release did not publicly state the child's relationship to the arrested man, and this report will not infer or disclose one.

Medical descriptions in a preliminary release document the seriousness of the case; they do not, by themselves, establish who caused the injuries or how they occurred.

Read the source: BakersfieldNow: independent publication of the Ridgecrest police account ↗

Javier Patricio Cuevas arrested; investigation continues

Investigators identified Javier Patricio Cuevas as a suspect and arrested him in connection with the child's injuries, police said. Officers later obtained a search warrant for the residence where the incident was believed to have occurred and processed the location for evidence.

The department's release does not identify the exact criminal counts, a bail amount, a court date or evidence establishing motive or intent. An arrest is not a conviction, and Cuevas is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove criminal charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

The search of a residence also is not proof of guilt. Investigators and prosecutors must establish what evidence was recovered, whether it is reliable and how it connects any person to the infant's injuries.

Read the source: City of Ridgecrest: official Police Department information ↗

What remains unknown

The department has not publicly disclosed the child's current condition, the precise time or place the injuries occurred, who was present, the cause identified by medical specialists or whether additional arrests are expected.

Ridgecrest police described the case as active and ongoing. Anyone with information can contact Detective Solorzano at asolorzano@ridgecrest-ca.gov or 760-499-5100.

What’s the Scoop With Broach will update this report when police, prosecutors, hospital representatives authorized to speak or public court records provide a material new fact. Rumors about the infant, family or accused person should not be treated as evidence.

Read the source: Wikimedia Commons: Ridgecrest locator map and CC BY-SA 3.0 license ↗

About the image

The accompanying image is a 2007 locator map highlighting Ridgecrest within Kern County. It does not mark the residence or hospital involved and does not depict the infant, Cuevas, police officers or any evidence.

Arkyan created the map from U.S. Census Bureau data and licensed it under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 through Wikimedia Commons. It is reproduced without material alteration and does not imply endorsement by the creator or Wikimedia Commons.