"Infant John Doe" - 19 months - Floyd County/New Albany IN

A 19-year-old illegal immigrant appeared in Floyd County Superior
Court No. 1 Thursday on charges that he punched a 19-month-old child in
the stomach.

Juan Carlos Contreras-Juarez is charged with class
B felony aggravated battery and is being held in the Floyd County Jail
on $200,000 court cash or surety bond.

According to the
prosecutor’s office, medical personnel described the child as having
sustained a “near-fatal traumatic abdominal injury.”

Contreras-Juarez,
who is not the child’s biological father, was reportedly dating and
living with the child’s mother on Cross Creek Boulevard in New Albany.

The
mother had reportedly left five children in the care of
Contreras-Juarez for about 15 minutes on Jan. 7, according to court
records. About three hours after returning, the woman went to the boy’s
bedroom to check on him.

According to court records, she found
her son unresponsive and vomiting, so she called 911. Doctors said the
child also had bruises all over his body, and his bowel was eviscerated
requiring surgery.

Two days later, one of the children told detectives that he saw Contreras-Juarez punching the child.

The
head of pediatric forensics at Kosair Children’s Hospital told police
that the injuries were caused by intentional punching or stomping on
the stomach and must have been inflicted by an adult, court records
state.

Floyd County Prosecutor Keith Henderson released a
statement describing the injuries as “extremely serious and disturbing
in nature.”

“The State of Indiana will do everything in its
power to ensure that justice is served in this case. No child in our
society should ever have to suffer physical abuse, especially at the
hands of an adult,” Henderson said.

Contreras-Juarez was
detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Wednesday.
Contreras-Juarez has a hold for ICE, so even if he posts bond, he would
not be released.

More than a dozen family members of the victim
were in the courtroom on Thursday and cried throughout the hearing. As
family members exited the courtroom, many holding up jackets to cover
their faces, one person said they had been instructed by police not to
speak to the media.

Contreras-Juarez, who spoke through an
interpreter, said he intends to hire an attorney. He is due back in
court Jan. 21 if he has not hired an attorney by then. A jury trial is
scheduled for May 17.

Contreras-Juarez faces six to 20 years in prison if convicted.