Edinburg PD probes child abuse case

Special to the Advance

EDINBURG — On May 7, shortly after 11 a.m., the Edinburg Police Department responded to Doctors Hospital at Renaissance following a report of an injury to a child.

Nursing staff informed officers that a 17-month-old infant arrived unresponsive at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance Women’s Hospital, with visible bruising all over her body and a laceration under her chin.

Edinburg PD Detectives were dispatched to the hospital to assist with the investigation.

They contacted the mother of the infant, 21-year-old Selena Quintanilla Silva of Edinburg, TX, who was present at the hospital. Detectives also contacted her boyfriend’s mother, 50-yearold Maria del Rosario Castillo, regarding the incident at a separate location. Through the course of the investigation, Silva and Castillo made incriminating statements regarding the injuries suffered by the infant. Consequently, both women were placed under arrest for Injury to a Child, a 1st Degree Felony.

The infant, currently in critical but stable condition, was airlifted to Driscoll Children’s Hospital for further care.

“The safety and well-being of our children are paramount. This heartbreaking case underscores the importance of taking care of our children and protecting them,” said Chief Jaime Ayala. “They are precious, and such incidents should never happen.”

In addition to Silva and Castillo’s arrests, a warrant was obtained for Mathew Martinez, who is not the biological father of the child but Silva’s live-in boyfriend and Castillo’s son. Martinez was apprehended in Beaumont, Texas, on Wednesday, May 8, in collaboration with the Beaumont Police Department.

As of press time, according to Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office records, the bonds were each set at $420,000.

Story Courtesy
City of Edinburg