"Toddler Jane" GONZALEZ-ARENAS - 2 yo - Santa Maria CA

A Santa Maria woman accused of torturing her 2-year-old daughter
by holding her arms under scalding tap water — and the baby’s
father, who allegedly refused to take the child to the hospital for
her injuries — pleaded not guilty Friday to felony charges.

Lorena Arenas, 23, and Jose Luis Gonzalez, 41, also of Santa Maria,
appeared along with their attorneys before Santa Barbara County
Superior Court Commissioner John McGregor in Santa Maria.

Arenas is facing felony counts of torture and child abuse with
great bodily injury, while Gonzalez is charged with felony child
endangerment.

Arenas punished her toddler, whose name has not been made public,
by holding her arms under scalding tap water for about five minutes
on April 14 at a home in the 400 block of South Pine Street,
according to Santa Maria police.

The girl suffered third-degree burns on her hands and forearms, but
her father, Gonzalez, refused to take her to a hospital, police
have said.

The child reportedly remained at home for more than 13 hours before
Arenas took her to Marian Medical Center.

Due to the severity of her injuries, the toddler was transported to
Sherman Oaks Hospital burn center for continued treatment.

Lt. Dan Ast of the Santa Maria Police Department said Friday he
didn’t know whether the child is still at the hospital, but noted
that she is in the custody of Child Welfare Services.

A second child of the parents, a 3-year-old, was also placed with
Child Welfare Services.

Ast said police believe the injured child was punished for getting
into her mother’s makeup.

When Arenas finally took her daughter to the hospital for treatment
of her burns, Gonzalez went to work and the 3-year-old was left
home alone, according to Ast.

The 2-year-old was abused with water more than once, the officer
said.

“It was an ongoing issue with water punishment, both hot and
cold.”

Police are investigating whether the 3-year-old was also abused,
Ast said, and more charges could be filed in the case.

“We are looking into everything,” he added.

Gonzalez and Arenas remain in County Jail with bail set at $100,000
and $1 million, respectively. They are due back in court May
13.