MCALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A mother is arrested after refusing to file charges against her husband who is accused of assaulting his wife and infant daughter.
Carolina Chavez was arrested on two counts of abandoning and endangering a child with intent/knowledge of a crime negligence.
On Nov. 26, 2022, Chavez’s husband Edgar Garcia was arrested on charges of aggravated assault at/family/house with a weapon and injury to a child/elderly/disabled with intent, according to Hidalgo County jail records.
On that day, Chavez told McAllen police Garcia assaulted her and their 8-month-old daughter. The mother told police the baby hit the back of her head on the floor during the struggle.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by ValleyCentral, McAllen police officers examined the child and felt a golf ball-sized lump on the back of the baby’s head.
Officers say they entered the apartment looking for the couple’s other children and found a one-year-old child, along with more than 100 empty beer cans. McAllen officers said the apartment was dirty with trash throughout.
At that time Chavez told police she did not want to file charges against her husband because “she loves Edgar,” the complaint stated. She also refused medical attention for the baby.
Officers say Chavez was drunk and based on the couple’s fight, they say they had probable cause to believe she endangered her daughters.
“Carolina was not being protective of her 8-month-old by not wanting patrol to arrest her husband who had just assaulted her 8-month-old and her,” the complaint stated.
Chavez was arrested on May 11 and released the next day on a $5,000 bond. Edgar Garcia was released on a $20,000 bond.