KGUN 9News

Actions

TPD makes arrest in suspected child abuse case

Posted at 11:28 PM, Apr 26, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-28 01:17:27-04

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN9-TV) One man has been arrested after Tucson Police say a 3-year-old child suffered injuries. 

The live-in boyfriend of the child's mother has been arrested. Gilbert Cuhen, 30, is behind bars in the Pima County Jail facing two counts of child abuse.

Sgt. Pete Dugan with TPD says on Wednesday night the woman was driving the toddler to the hospital when she called 911. Police say she decided to pull over near Kino Parkway and 22nd to call police.

The incident occurred at a home on the 2000 block of South Saint Michael. The child's mother lives there with her boyfriend and 6-month-old child, police say. Cuhen is not the biological father of the 3-year-old child. 

On Wednesday night TPD says the family was at the home when the mother told police she heard commotion in the back part of the house. She said she found Cuhen with the child and the child was unresponsive. While the mother was tending to the child, she told police Cuhen went into the other room to gather some things then left. 

Police say the mother is new to the area and didn't know where the hospital was so she pulled over to call 911. 

Detectives found out that Cuhen went to Deming, New Mexico as he has family there. One of the TPD detectives got his number and talked to him. Cuhen was also in contact with law enforcement in New Mexico. 

Officers wanted to get his side of the story and Cuhen drove back to Tucson Thursday. While he was on his way back TPD had gathered enough evidence to serve an arrest warrant. 

Officers say the child is in critical condition with severe injuries that appear to be child abuse.

The child has multiple injuries, some internal and some visible.