A Tucson woman has been arrested on child abuse charges, a week after her boyfriend was charged in connection with injuries to the woman's 3-year-old daughter, authorities said.
Valerie Pastran, 21, was booked into the Pima County jail Thursday on one felony count of child abuse, said Sgt. Pete Dugan, a Tucson Police Department spokesman.
Last Thursday, Pastran's boyfriend, 30-year-old Gilbert Cuhen turned himself into police and was charged with two counts of child abuse.
On April 26, Pastran and Cuhen were at home with her 3-year-old daughter and the couple's 6-month-old girl. Pastran told police that she heard a commotion from a back room in the house and when she went to investigate, she found the 3-year-old unresponsive and Cuhen in the room, Dugan said.
The woman left to drive the girl to the hospital, but pulled over and called 911 along the way when the girl's breathing became labored, Dugan said.
Paramedics with Tucson Fire Department noticed signs of external physical abuse while they were rendering first aid, and doctors at the hospital also found internal injuries that they say came from child abuse, Dugan said.
Cuhen left for New Mexico the day that the girl was injured, but returned to Tucson the next day and turned himself into police.
He's facing two counts of child abuse, since the girl's injuries appear to have occurred on different days.
