3-year-old hospitalized with severe brain injuries; guardians charged with neglect

INDIANAPOLIS -- An Indianapolis couple is behind bars and charged with beating their 3-year-old daughter nearly to death.




According to doctors at Riley Hospital for Children, the 3-year-old victim has a high probability of death due to her brain injuries.




Court records claim the girl's father confessed he routinely beat the child as punishment, but insisted he didn't know how she hurt her head.




Police were first called last week to an apartment complex along Waterfront Drive on Indy's west side. Officers found a 3-year-old girl, Luna, covered in bruises from head to toe and unresponsive.




After being rushed to Riley, doctors said the girl suffered from brain bleeding and had the lowest possible coma score before someone is declared brain dead.

"When I first saw her, I felt like it was unreal," said the girl's biological mother, Lexus Burnette. "I'm just here fighting for her, but she's fighting for her life."




Burnette said she hadn't seen the victim since May, when she lost custody of the little girl. The mother said she warned the court system that Luna was being abused, but the girl was still placed in her father's custody.




"I tried to tell them this is what I saw and what I'm noticing and they kept ignoring me," said Burnette.




The victim's father, 24-year-old Joshua Cajigas, and his 22-year-old girlfriend, Mellie Jackson, are now both charged with different levels of neglect resulting in injury.

The pair initially claimed the girl was hurt when a dresser fell on top of her, but police say Cajigas eventually stated he "gave her a whooping because she tends to be disrespectful."




Cajigas also allegedly added, "Besides being disrespectful, she also pees the bed multiple times a night, and that's also why she is disciplined."




Burnette said the injuries were preventable.




"They could have protected her, and they didn't," she said. "Instead, they tormented her."




Indianapolis Metro Police Officer Tommy Thompson said the situation is unacceptable.




"We as adults are the only advocate and voice for these young children," he said. "And we have to do our part so they live and see another day."




For their part, IMPD and child care advocates encourage everyone to call the state's hotline to report signs of abuse if they see it, and say parents can always connect to resources if they need help raising their kids responsibly.




"Before you take it out physically and do something you're going to regret, something criminal, please reach out," said Thompson.




Jackson was charged Tuesday afternoon with neglect resulting in serious injury, a level 3 felony.




Cajigas was charged with neglect resulting in catastrophic injury, a level 1 felony, as well as two level 3 battery charges.





via: https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/3-year-old-hospitalized-with-severe-brain-injuries-guardians-charged-with-neglect/