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WEST JORDAN — A teacher at a West Jordan child care facility is accused of leaving scratch marks on a young boy deep enough to make him bleed.
Maria Del Carmen Hernandez Alvarado, 23, of Kearns, was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court with abuse or neglect of a disabled child, a third-degree felony.
On Aug. 28, a 7-year-old boy claimed his "teacher" at Happy Zone Child Care Center injured him, according to charging documents.
"(The boy) stated that Hernandez Alvarado grabbed him by the back of the neck and arm. (He) stated that Hernandez Alvarado dug her nails into his arm, and it was 'really painful,'" the charges state.
A teacher at a private school for children who are autistic, which the boy attends, noticed "scratch marks on the right side of his neck and asked what happened," according to the charges. He allegedly told her "that a teacher scratched him that morning."
Two days later, the teacher observed "more scratches on both sides of (the boy's) neck as well as bruising and marks on his right arm," the charges state. When asked again what had happened, the boy said that Hernandez Alvarado "grabbed him by the back of the neck, dragged/pulled him, grabbed onto his arm, and wouldn't let go." The boy later began bleeding from his scratches, the charges state.
When questioned by police, "Hernandez Alvarado stated that she grabbed (the boy) and scratched him with her nails," according to charging documents.
