A San Antonio man faces serious charges after allegedly squeezing his newborn daughter so forcefully it resulted in multiple fractures, and causing a burn injury which he later tried to conceal, according to local authorities. Thirty-one-year-old David Botello Jr. was arrested following revelations of the abuse, which was uncovered when the one-month-old victim received treatment for a burn mark on her arm.
An affidavit presented in the case detailed that Botello, who brought the child into Children's Hospital of San Antonio, claimed the burn was the accidental result of dropping a lighter; however, a more sinister story unfolded when medical evaluations found that the baby had sustained numerous bone fractures, including broken ribs, a broken leg, and a broken foot, reported the Express-News. In an interview with a detective, Botello allegedly conceded that he "squeezes the victim when he becomes frustrated with her," and acknowledged using enough pressure to cause those injuries, a confession obtained by KENS 5 indicates.
Adding to the gravity of the case, Botello has a history of prior arrests; in 2019, he was apprehended on an assault causing bodily injury-married charge, and was charged again in 2020 with continuous violence against a family member. After his arrest on Friday, Botello Jr. was booked into the Bexar County jail, with his bail set at $115,000, his court appearance is scheduled for April 30, as KENS 5 reported. The child's injuries are currently under review by authorities to determine the exact timeline of the assaults, which are speculated to have occurred between her birth on February 26 and the day of the hospital visit.
Botello faces multiple charges, including injury to a child with the intent of serious bodily injury and injury to a child causing bodily injury-reckless, the charges against Botello reflect the severity of the accusations and the injuries sustained by the infant; in addition to the physical harm, his actions have ignited a wave of concern among child welfare advocates and underscored the need for vigilance in protecting the most vulnerable from hidden dangers in their own homes, such as the family violence precedent evident in this case according to the Express-News.
