'Evil' dad who ate son's eyes angers community
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The case of a father accused of biting his child's eyes and hands has raised many troubling questions.
The Kern County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday asked child protective services to explain what happened and to determine whether the case can be considered under a new state law that allows for release of information.
Angelo Mendoza Sr., 34, faces four felony charges for allegedly attacking his 4-year-old son, Angelo Mendoza Jr., on April 28.
According to police reports, the child told officers, "My daddy ate my eyes," and, "Daddy bit my eyes and hands."
Doctors told police that the child's left eye and muscle were gone, and his right eye was damaged beyond repair.
The boy, who goes by the name Angel, was discovered by a neighbor lying naked in a bloody heap on the floor of an Ohio Drive apartment.
Mendoza is in a wheelchair with a spinal cord injury. Police said he had rolled away from the complex after the alleged abuse occurred and started hacking away at his leg with an ax.
Police reported that Mendoza was showing signs of being under the influence of the psychedelic drug best known as PCP or angel dust.
The father was caring for the child even though he has 22 previous criminal cases in Kern County.
In a case from 2006, Mendoza and the boy's mother both pleaded no contest to willful cruelty to a child. Officials with the Kern County District Attorney's Office say in that case, the father and mother were under the influence of drugs. The boy was about a year old at the time.
On Tuesday, county supervisors got a briefing on the case from child protective services director Pat Cheadle.
"This is an example of one of those horrible, horrible tragic situations that happen," Cheadle told the supervisors. "And certainly we wish there was an explanation for it at this time."
Supervisor Ray Watson said he was troubled at the lack of information about what happened.
"I think the public is terribly frustrated that they're not able to have access to the issues that led up to this horrible tragedy," he said.
Cheadle told the board that a new state law allows for information to be released on CPS cases, but only when the child died or nearly died. Supervisor Michael Rubio pressed her to see if this case could considered in the "nearly died" category.
"This evil person who did this act, if they were not interrupted, could we define it as near fatality to show that to the public at least that we do have the checks and balances and the ombudsman who's evaluating it, and the investigation, so that we can be open, transparent and accountable to the public?" Rubio asked.
Cheadle said the ombudsman has started an investigation, and they are checking to see if this case can be considered a near fatality so information can be made public.
The case against Mendoza was slated to go to Kern County Superior Court on Wednesday morning, but that was delayed because of the man's medical condition. As of Tuesday night, Mendoza was listed in fair condition at Kern Medical Center.
Mendoza was charged with felony counts of aggravated mayhem, torture, willful cruelty to a child and inflicting injury upon a child for last month's alleged attack. He's being held on $1 million bail.
The child's mother, who called herself Desirae but would not disclose her last name, said Mendoza has been wheelchair-bound since December 2004 when he was stabbed in the back and left paralyzed from the waist down.
In response to his injury, Desirae said Mendoza had hoped to organize a bicycle ride from Disneyland to Disney World. She said she doesn't know what became of the idea.
Mendoza was also a student at Bakersfield College as of last year.
The child's mother said Angel is doing well, despite his injuries. She said he is now being cared for by a foster family.
"This particular case has no place in our society today," Supervisor Rubio said during Tuesday's meeting. "It is a terrible and horrible act that was done on this 4-year-old. So our prayers are certainly with him."
The Kern County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday asked child protective services to explain what happened and to determine whether the case can be considered under a new state law that allows for release of information.
Angelo Mendoza Sr., 34, faces four felony charges for allegedly attacking his 4-year-old son, Angelo Mendoza Jr., on April 28.
According to police reports, the child told officers, "My daddy ate my eyes," and, "Daddy bit my eyes and hands."
Doctors told police that the child's left eye and muscle were gone, and his right eye was damaged beyond repair.
The boy, who goes by the name Angel, was discovered by a neighbor lying naked in a bloody heap on the floor of an Ohio Drive apartment.
Mendoza is in a wheelchair with a spinal cord injury. Police said he had rolled away from the complex after the alleged abuse occurred and started hacking away at his leg with an ax.
Police reported that Mendoza was showing signs of being under the influence of the psychedelic drug best known as PCP or angel dust.
The father was caring for the child even though he has 22 previous criminal cases in Kern County.
In a case from 2006, Mendoza and the boy's mother both pleaded no contest to willful cruelty to a child. Officials with the Kern County District Attorney's Office say in that case, the father and mother were under the influence of drugs. The boy was about a year old at the time.
On Tuesday, county supervisors got a briefing on the case from child protective services director Pat Cheadle.
"This is an example of one of those horrible, horrible tragic situations that happen," Cheadle told the supervisors. "And certainly we wish there was an explanation for it at this time."
Supervisor Ray Watson said he was troubled at the lack of information about what happened.
"I think the public is terribly frustrated that they're not able to have access to the issues that led up to this horrible tragedy," he said.
Cheadle told the board that a new state law allows for information to be released on CPS cases, but only when the child died or nearly died. Supervisor Michael Rubio pressed her to see if this case could considered in the "nearly died" category.
"This evil person who did this act, if they were not interrupted, could we define it as near fatality to show that to the public at least that we do have the checks and balances and the ombudsman who's evaluating it, and the investigation, so that we can be open, transparent and accountable to the public?" Rubio asked.
Cheadle said the ombudsman has started an investigation, and they are checking to see if this case can be considered a near fatality so information can be made public.
The case against Mendoza was slated to go to Kern County Superior Court on Wednesday morning, but that was delayed because of the man's medical condition. As of Tuesday night, Mendoza was listed in fair condition at Kern Medical Center.
Mendoza was charged with felony counts of aggravated mayhem, torture, willful cruelty to a child and inflicting injury upon a child for last month's alleged attack. He's being held on $1 million bail.
The child's mother, who called herself Desirae but would not disclose her last name, said Mendoza has been wheelchair-bound since December 2004 when he was stabbed in the back and left paralyzed from the waist down.
In response to his injury, Desirae said Mendoza had hoped to organize a bicycle ride from Disneyland to Disney World. She said she doesn't know what became of the idea.
Mendoza was also a student at Bakersfield College as of last year.
The child's mother said Angel is doing well, despite his injuries. She said he is now being cared for by a foster family.
"This particular case has no place in our society today," Supervisor Rubio said during Tuesday's meeting. "It is a terrible and horrible act that was done on this 4-year-old. So our prayers are certainly with him."
More to Explore
Learn about changes coming to commenting