The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is searching for 21-year-old Joshua James Gonzales for allegedly beating a toddler and leaving her with life-threatening injuries, CBS Denver reports. It was alleged that on Monday, September 11, the child abuse suspect beat, kicked, and threw his girlfriend’s 2-year-old daughter in the 1400 block of South Pierson Street.
The incident went unreported until an individual spotted the child’s injuries on Thursday while she was standing outside with her mother, whose identity has not been released, at Doull Elementary School in Denver.
Emergency medical services were dispatched to the school and rushed the toddler to Denver Health Medical Center with serious injuries, which included a severe head trauma and a lacerated liver. Authorities say that although the toddler is expected to survive, her injuries may lead to long-term effects.
A Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson, Jenny Fulton, stated that the department does not know if the mother of the victim was with her the entire time after the child abuse incident, but authorities believe that she was aware of her toddler’s injuries and knew she was in dire need of medical attention.
Fulton went on to say that the mother is not facing any criminal charges at this time, but investigators are working closely with the District Attorney’s office to determine what charges the mother could face.
Jefferson County’s Most Wanted Man Is Child Abuse Suspect https://t.co/fBh7R2iTN9 pic.twitter.com/KG61XqxqYX
— CBSColorado (@CBSNewsColorado) September 16, 2017
Details leading up to the child abuse incident are unknown as well as information about what led officials to believe that Gonzales was the toddler’s assailant.
The fugitive unit is now searching for the Jefferson County’s most wanted child abuse suspect. Fulton stated that “everybody is affected by this particular crime, and that is why we are working so hard to locate this man.”
Suspect ID’d in brutal beating of 2-year-old child found outside Denver school: https://t.co/HlgRpscUt6
— Denver7 News (@DenverChannel) September 16, 2017
Authorities have now turned to the public for help in finding the Gonzales, who is wanted on a class E felony for purportedly causing serious bodily harm to a toddler.
The child abuse suspect is described as a Hispanic man, standing 5-foot-7-inches and weighing 200 pounds with black shoulder-length hair. Police say he has the letters “W” and “S” tattooed on each arm.
Anyone who sees Gonzales or knows of his whereabouts should call 303-271-0211. If you have any information regarding the child abuse case, you are urged to contact the Sheriff’s Office tip line at 303-271-5612 or the Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP.
[Featured Image by Ivanko_Brnjakovic/iStock]
