INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Dec. 29, 2014) — A mother and her boyfriend face multiple felony charges in connection with the death of a 3-year-old girl and injuries discovered on her siblings, investigators say.
Authorities believe there was a pattern of abuse that may have started in October. The children are ages 5, 3, and 1. Their mother is Maria Calderon. She has been charged with two counts of neglect of a dependent resulting in death and two counts of neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury.
Authorities said Calderon failed to protect her children.
“And what that essentially means is twofold. First of all, she did not get prompt medical attention for the child in question, but also that she continued to leave the child with him knowing that he was a risk to her,” Kristina Korobov said.
Korobov, is a deputy prosecutor and the supervisor of the special victims team of the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office. She referred to Freddie Bailey, Calderon’s boyfriend.
Bailey is charged with murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death and three counts of battery.
“They are significant injuries. This is not a whooping gone wrong,” Korobov said.
Nearly a week ago, 3-year-old Amabel Calderon died after she was rushed to the hospital with head trauma, bruises, and bite marks. Bailey confessed to FOX59 on Christmas Eve what happened to her inside the Motel 6 on Monday, Dec. 22.
“The first time I got up and I pushed her head back and then I sat there drinking and then she kept doing it and I kept pushing her head back into the corner…I didn’t think I was hurting her cause she wasn’t crying like that,” Bailey told FOX59.
In court records, Bailey admitted that on Saturday, Dec. 20 Amabel was forced to stand in the corner for six hours and the next day he hit her with a kid’s belt for being “disrespectful.”
“So, we’re looking at a period of at least two months where something had happened and there were opportunities to intervene and to at least make sure these children were safe or not in danger,” Korobov said.
Bailey and Calderon have been charged with injuries Calderon’s siblings suffered. Calderon’s two other children, ages 5 and 1, had bruises all over their bodies. Calderon’s 1-year-old daughter also suffered from a number of cigarette burns to her face. Calderon’s 5-year-old son told a detective he was afraid of Bailey.
According to court documents, at least one person noticed the children’s injuries in October.
“This case is just another reminder to the public that you have to pick up the phone and make a call. You can’t count on a biological parent to protect the child. The only one who ultimately has that that knowledge the child is going to be safe in the long run is law enforcement,” Korobov said.
Korobov said it is important that people call for help, even if they suspect someone may be in danger
“The worst position to be in would be to look back a couple of months later and say I wish I would have made that call,” Korobov said.
Calderon and Bailey are scheduled to appear in court Tuesday morning for their initial hearings.
