A 26-year-old Gustine woman was arrested after Merced County sheriff's deputies say she abused her 11-month-old daughter.
Maria Galicia was taken into custody around 8 p.m. Monday after staff at Children's Hospital Central California in Madera noticed the girl was suffering from numerous injuries, including a fractured skull, according to Deputy Tom MacKenzie, sheriff's spokesman.
The sheriff's investigation was launched after Galicia had taken the child to Memorial Hospital Los Banos on Monday because the infant kept pulling her ear.
Galicia thought the child might have an ear infection, authorities said. Hospital staff in Los Banos sent the girl to Children's Hospital for further evaluation.
Children's Hospital doctors found the infant had a fractured skull, broken arm, fractured leg and a burn on her arm from a hair flatiron. Some of the fractures were older and healing, MacKenzie said.
The girl is expected to recover from her injuries.
After Detectives Dwayne Pavelski and Mike Ruiz interviewed Galicia, she was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment likely to produce great bodily harm or death.
MacKenzie said investigators will probably search Galicia's home in the 4000 block of Highway 33 to look for evidence. She'd been living in the area for about seven months.
So far, Galicia is the only suspect, although MacKenzie said investigators aren't ruling anything out. "Right now, she's our primary focus," MacKenzie said.
Galicia was booked into the jail and released after posting her $50,000 bail. The child is being kept in protective custody.
MacKenzie said Galicia was arrested a second time Tuesday afternoon after further investigation by detectives on suspicion of aggravated assault. She's being held at the Merced County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail.
Reporter Victor A. Patton can be reached at (209) 385-2431 or vpatton@mercedsun-star.com.
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