Authorities in Del Rio say a mother tried to cover up a serious injury on her young daughter with makeup, only to have the alleged abuse uncovered at school and quickly land herself under arrest.
What Police Say
Del Rio officers were called around 12:15 p.m. Wednesday to Ceniza Hills Elementary after what police described as an outcry of physical abuse. A San Felipe–Del Rio CISD officer told Del Rio police that a student had reported being abused by her mother. At the school nurse’s office, officers found the 6-year-old’s back covered in makeup. When the makeup was removed, they saw a large bruise, and the child told officers her mother had assaulted her, according to KSAT.
Where It Happened
The report centers on Ceniza Hills Elementary, a San Felipe–Del Rio Consolidated ISD campus located at 401 Pitaya Lane in Del Rio. The school serves elementary grades and is listed at that address by The Texas Tribune.
Children Taken Into Care And Arrest
Officers obtained an arrest warrant for the child’s mother, identified as 28-year-old Nykki Ritacco. She was found living in a storage shed in the 1100 block of West Garza Street with four other children and was arrested without incident on a charge of injury to a child, elderly or disabled person. Ritacco was processed at the Del Rio Police Department, then transferred to a GEO correctional facility to await magistrate proceedings, according to KSAT.
Child Protective Services responded and made emergency placements for six children ranging in age from five months to eight years. A local physician recommended urgent medical care within 24 hours for the youngest three children. CASA of Val Verde County, BCFS and crime-victim advocates from the Del Rio Police Department stepped in to provide food, child care, transportation and support while the investigation continued, according to KSAT.
What The Charge Means
Ritacco faces an offense defined under Texas law that criminalizes injury to a child, elderly individual or disabled individual. The statute sets out different levels of punishment, from a state jail felony up to a first-degree felony, depending on the severity of the alleged conduct and whether serious bodily injury is involved, per Texas Penal Code §22.04.
The Del Rio Police Department requested an emergency protective order on behalf of the children and their temporary custodian while agencies handle medical needs and placement. The investigation remains active, and officials say they will move forward with the magistrate and charging process as evidence is reviewed and interviews are completed.
