A Vancouver woman accused of hurting her 3-week-old baby appeared Thursday in Clark County Superior Court to face an allegation of second-degree assault of a child.
Apple Alejo Pereyras, 22, was arrested Wednesday following an investigation into alleged child abuse.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed in Superior Court, the infant was taken to a doctor because of fussiness, swelling in his legs and indications of pain when his parents moved his legs to change his diaper. X-rays revealed that both of his legs appeared to be fractured. The infant was then transferred to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland. Additional X-rays confirmed the fractures. Neither parent could explain how the infant’s injuries occurred.
Detective James Phelps with the Children’s Justice Center responded to the hospital. A doctor told him that the likely cause of the fractures was yanking or pulling and twisting the legs using “significant, excessive force.” The doctor added that when he told Pereyras about the fractures, she immediately dismissed them, according to court documents.
In an interview with Phelps, Pereyras allegedly admitted she became frustrated with the infant’s fussiness and “possibly” pulled hard on his legs while moving them to ease his gas pain. Under further questioning, Pereyras confirmed she did pull hard on the infant’s legs, causing him to cry louder. She said this likely happened while her husband was at work, court records said.
