Foster mom admits to child abuse
Toddler suffers brain injury

By Leslie Wood
Staff Writer

Cleo Juan

GALLUP — An 18-month-old Gallup toddler is in critical condition at an Albuquerque hospital from a head wound he allegedly sustained at the hands of his 32-year-old foster mother.

Cleo Juan, of 2808 Chamisal Space No. 39, was arraigned Wednesday morning in magistrate court on two felony counts of child abuse after she reportedly admitted to Gallup detective Juan Reyes that she abused the child. The five additional children under Juan's care have since been taken into state custody pending the outcome of the investigation.

Investigator Erin Toadlena-Pablo, a spokeswoman for the Gallup Police Department, did not release the toddler's name, but said he was receiving treatment at the Albuquerque hospital for a possible brain hemorrhage and fluid inside his lungs.

By mid-afternoon on Wednesday, Toadlena-Pablo said the infant could remain in a "vegetative" state and that he has sustained severe brain damage.

The toddler's birth parents have been notified of the situation and are reportedly with the child at the hospital. If the toddler's condition deteriorates, Juan could face more serious criminal charges, which could include murder.

Gallup police and EMS employees were called to Juan's residence at about 10 a.m. on Tuesday after the child stopped breathing.

According to court records, emergency personnel found the child barely clothed and lying on the living room floor. He was allegedly unresponsive and was later transported by helicopter to the Albuquerque hospital due to the severity of his condition.

Toadlena-Pablo said Juan was arrested after she provided detectives with inconsistent accounts of what led to the toddler's injuries. Juan then allegedly admitted to abusing the child and said her failure to take medication to treat depression prompted her actions.

Juan initially told first responders that she found the toddler face down in his bath water, according to reports. She then told CYFD officials she had tripped while in the bathroom, which caused the child to bump his head on the side of the tub. But after interviews with police, Juan allegedly admitted to abusing her foster child.

According to a statement of probable cause, Juan continued to bathe the toddler after he went "limp" like "Jell-O" and started to bleed from the nose.

"She continued bathing the children. At this time Cleo stated that (the toddler) was slipping into the water," according to the statement. "She then grabbed him by his neck using her hands to pull him back up and leaning him against the wall of the tub."

According to Toadlena-Pablo, Tuesday's incident was not the first time the toddler had been treated at a local hospital. She said the toddler had been transported to a local emergency room two week's earlier for treatment of a possible head injury. Juan allegedly admitted to abusing the child on both occasions.

The local Children, Youth and Families Department forwarded a request for comment about its supervision of the child and Juan to CYFD's state office. Deborah Martinez, a spokeswoman for the CYFD, said she could not discuss the Juan case, but that she is familiar with the incident.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the child and the family," Martinez said.

Martinez said potential foster parents undergo a screening process, which includes a law enforcement background check, prior to placement. In addition to the law enforcement check, CYFD uses its own program, entitled FACTS, to screen potential foster parents for any allegations of neglect or abuse.

Potential parents are also required to undergo 27 hours of training prior to placement. Their homes are also evaluated by licensed social workers, she said.

During a person's term as a foster parent, he or she must also participate in ongoing training and are subject to visits by CYFD staff.

"The safety of our foster kids is our number one concern," Martinez said.

Martinez did not say whether foster parents are allowed to receive treatment for depression while caring for children, but did say the parents "have to meet a set of criteria that makes them an appropriate foster parent."

She said if any allegations are made against a current foster parent, the agency will automatically conduct an investigation into the claims. She did not comment as to whether Juan had been a target of an investigation.

Sixty-nine children reside in McKinley County foster homes, as of late February. Martinez said the state is experiencing a shortage of foster parents and the agency is always recruiting.

Martinez also said no rules are in place that limit the number of children a foster parent can care for, but that CYFD officials consider the size of the living space when making that determination.

Juan is being held on a $25,000 cash only bond. Another McKinley County foster parent was arrested last year after her foster child alleged she stabbed her with a fork.

Attempts to contact Juan's family were unsuccessful.