'She's Lucky To Be Alive': Fernando Juarez Charged With Assaulting Girlfriend's Toddler
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Fridley mother suffering through a nightmare scenario is warning other parents to be wary of who looks after their children.
Ivy Paschka says she left her 2-year-old daughter, Selena, with her boyfriend, Fernando Juarez, this week for about an hour. Selena's head was gashed open when Paschka got back. She says Juarez's explanation was that Selena slipped in the shower.
At the hospital, doctors found fractured ribs, a fractured spine, bruised kidneys, spleen and liver, along with internal bleeding.
"Just happy she was alive because we could've lost her that day," Paschka said. "They made that clear to us that she's lucky to be alive."
Almost a week into her hospital stay, Selena is back to being upbeat and her normal, spunky self. Paschka says her daughter's showing a strength she herself doesn't have.
Juarez is now in the Anoka County Jail, charged with first-degree assault. Paschka says he was never once violent in all the time she's known him.
"Someone I trusted and loved did this to her," she said. "[He's] someone I would normally turn to and cry on."
Jana Longfellow, Selena's grandmother, says she hopes this is an eye-opener to other young mothers. She urges parents to watch for red flags, even when it's painful to do so. Longfellow says Paschka's learned a hard lesson.
"This is gonna save some babies," Longfellow said. "This is gonna save some other kids because we're going to make sure [Selena's] voice is heard now."
Paschka says Selena will get out of the hospital Monday.