SAN ANTONIO – A Bexar County Sheriff’s Office deputy was arrested for leaving his 2-month-old baby inside a vehicle alone for approximately three hours on Monday, authorities said.
Antonio Almaraz, 31, who was dismissed, is facing multiple charges after making conflicting statements, BCSO said in a news release on Tuesday morning.
BCSO said Almaraz took his baby to a pediatric appointment at 9 a.m. and returned home after 10 a.m.
He turned off his vehicle and left his child inside the car as he went inside the home, BCSO said. At around 1 p.m., the baby was found inside the vehicle and was unresponsive.
BCSO said an ambulance arrived at the home in the 5000 block of Mansions Bluff and transported the baby to the hospital, where the baby is still in critical condition.
The agency was made aware of the incident just before 2 p.m.
“When deputies initially spoke to Almaraz, he gave conflicting statements, however, investigators were able to determine the events that had actually taken place,” the release states.
Almaraz was charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury-reckless, a second-degree felony; abandoning a child with the intent to return, a state jail felony; and endangering a child, a state jail felony. His bond was set at $80,000.
BCSO said the order of dismissal in accordance with the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office Civil Service Commission was issued due to his probationary status. He cannot appeal the probationary dismissal and cannot be rehired.
He was hired on Feb. 20.
“Given the amount of awareness in the community regarding leaving children unattended in vehicles, there is absolutely no valid excuse for this to have occurred. My family and I are praying for the best (possible) outcome for this precious baby,” Sheriff Javier Salazar said in the release.
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as more information becomes available.
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