Man awaits competency evaluation in child abuse case
A Las Vegas man is in jail awaiting a competency evaluation following an arrest for felony child abuse and possession of marijuana.
Las Vegas Police say Angel Juarez Jr., 28, was arrested Oct. 16 after LVPD responded to a call about an injured child at Alta Vista Regional Hospital. According to an arrest affidavit, the child’s mother told police Juarez had struck her child with a belt as a punishment, and that he seemed to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
The child told police Juarez appeared to be angry and called her profanities. The child stated Juarez grabbed her by the wrist and struck her multiple times with a belt, using the end with the belt buckle.
In documents filed in San Miguel Magistrate Court, the officer noted bruising to the child’s arm consistent with “being struck with the buckle of a belt.” The officer also noted several other injuries “consistent with getting struck with the leather part of the belt” on one of the child’s arms and on one leg. The whereabouts of Juarez was unknown at the time.
The officer later visited the residence where the incident allegedly took place — located near Alamo Street and South Grand Avenue — to perform a welfare check on other children living at the address. A woman looking after the children allowed the officer inside the residence. While in the garage, the officer noticed debris on the ground that seemed to be from the attic above.
A child in the home told the office that Juarez was hiding in the attic. Juarez climbed out of the attic, telling the officer he believed he had a warrant out for his arrest.
According to police, he also had what appeared to be a rolled joint behind his ear. Juarez admitted it was marijuana. He also admitted to striking the child multiple times with a belt as a punishment, though he denied ever using the buckle of the belt.
Juarez was booked into the San Miguel County Detention Center on one count of abuse of a child (first offense, tortured, cruelly confined or cruelly punished), a third-degree felony. He was also charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana.
Bond was set at $3,000, cash-only, but Juarez was still in jail Friday awaiting a determination of competency.
