Watsonville+man+beat+a+4+year+old+child+for+coming+home+late


 * ||  || **By Jennifer Squires

jsquires@santacruzsentinel.com** Posted: 03/19/2010 06:59:26 PM PDTUpdated: 03/19/2010 06:59:28 PM PDT

WATSONVILLE — A 21-year-old man was jailed Friday afternoon after he allegedly punched a 4-year-old boy who had been in his care, Watsonville police reported. The boy suffered black eyes and other injuries when he allegedly was struck by Jose Luis Ornelas, according to Sgt. Saul Gonzalez. Ornelas, a family friend, was arrested on suspicion of child abuse causing injury and held in County Jail. The boy was taken to Watsonville Community Hospital for treatment, police reported. Gonzalez said he would be OK. "It's not the worst we've seen but it's in not a parent spanking their child for coming home late," Gonzalez said. "It's more severe than what we normally see." The boy's mother dropped off him off at an apartment in the Via La Posada complex on Rodriguez Street, where her boyfriend lives, earlier Friday. Ornelas was at the apartment. Gonzalez said he wasn't sure if Orenlas is the mother's boyfriend but said he was alone with the child. At some point, Ornelas allegedly hit the boy once, Gonzalez said. Police declined to say what led to the violence. "We know, but we're not going to say right now," Gonzalez said. A female relative arrived at the apartment, saw the injured boy and called 911. Police, firefighters and medics responded to the apartment. Ornelas, who was still at the complex, was arrested without incident, Gonzalez said. He was jailed on $25,000 bail. Police said the abuse was an isolated incident. ||  ||   ||