Updated: Wednesday, 09 Nov 2011, 6:27 PM CST
Published : Wednesday, 09 Nov 2011, 5:59 PM CST
DAMALI KEITH
Reporter
HOUSTON - A mother is behind bars on accusations she beat, abused, and nearly starved her 3-year-old baby to death.
Arlene Alaniz, 28, is charged with injury to a child.
Her son’s injuries were so severe; an intensive car doctor said she had no idea if the boy would survive.
Fortunately he did.
An arrest report states Alaniz tied her special-needs baby to the bed with a rope. She then hit, abused and starved him.
Child Protective Services spokeswoman Estella Olguin said they took custody of the child and his 4-year-old brother.
"The three year old, according to doctors, suffered from malnourishment, and also he had numerous injuries throughout his body,” Olguin said. “They were consistent with abuse and not consistent with the story the mom was telling us."
Alaniz told investigators her son’s feeding tube came out of his chest several days earlier.
Instead of having it medically replaced, she used tape to put it back.
The baby also suffered other injuries, including bruises, cuts and lacerations, Olguin said.
Investigators noted the bruises were on the side of his face and marked several spots on the back.
An ambulance rushed the child from his family’s west Houston apartment to Texas Children’s Hospital on Oct. 2.
The baby wasn’t breathing.
Investigators said the 4-year-old brother told investigators his mom would tie his little brother to his crib and hit him, “because he cries all the time.”
Pablo Girado, who lived across the hall from Alaniz, said he was shocked.
“We would see her with one little boy,” Girado said.
”Everything seemed pretty quiet over there."
Before her arrest, Alaniz posted on Facebook, "I miss the keys to my heart."
The message may have been referring to her two boys taken by CPS.
She also thanked everyone for their prayers, saying her baby was, "out of the hospital and doing better".
The arrest report states Alaniz told officers she was depressed and was taking sleeping pills every night.
CPS wants parents who may feel overwhelmed to know help is available.
"There are a lot of resources in the community, especially if you're a parent caring for a child who has special needs,” Olguin said. “So certainly reach out for help because taking care of a child who has special needs can be overwhelming to a parent."
The 3-year-old, who was weighing in at just 26 pounds, is said to be recovering well.
He and his brother are now staying at a foster home.
Their mother is in jail on $20,000 bond.
If you are a parent in need of assistance, you can call the CPS hotline at 1-800-252-5400. You can also dial 2-1-1 for the United Way's Texas helpline.
http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/local/111109-police-say-mom-beat-starved-
3-year-old-son
Emphasis added by H4K Editor
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