A mother in Louisiana has been charged with multiple offences after her autistic son was killed by alligators and her newborn tested positive for cocaine.
Boy Found Dead After Disappearance
Hilda Vasquez, 34, was arrested after the death of her 12-year-old son Bryan, whose body was recovered in a canal near their home in New Orleans East last month.
The child, who was autistic, reportedly climbed out of his bedroom window on August 14 wearing an adult diaper before vanishing.
Body Discovered in Canal
A search operation was launched, and on August 26, a volunteer with the United Cajun Navy located Bryan’s body submerged in a lagoon just blocks from the family home.
According to the Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office, the boy’s cause of death was blunt trauma combined with drowning following an alligator attack.
Alligators Dragged Body Underwater
Volunteer Jon Gusanders said two alligators were seen holding Bryan’s body underwater before surfacing with it. He explained that he used a drone for an hour to divert the reptiles from continuing to push and conceal the remains.
He also suspected that residents had been feeding the alligators scraps, potentially making them more aggressive.
Mother Arrested and Charged
Vasquez was taken into custody on September 7. She faces charges of negligent homicide and second-degree cruelty to a juvenile.
She appeared in court on Monday, where a judge ordered that she remain at Plaquemines Parish Jail without bond. A $5,000 bail request was denied.
Drug Allegations
During the hearing, prosecutors revealed that Vasquez’s youngest child tested positive for cocaine a month before Bryan disappeared.
They added that the mother also tested positive for the drug at the time.
History of Abuse
Court records show Vasquez was charged in 2014 with cruelty to juveniles after Bryan, then an infant, suffered a fractured skull and broken legs.
Prosecutors argued that this history makes her a danger to her surviving three children. She has now been ordered to stay away from them.
Alligators Removed
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries confirmed that the alligators responsible for the attack have since been eradicated.
Community Support
A fundraiser set up for Bryan’s funeral expenses and family needs has raised more than $15,000 as of Wednesday afternoon.
Organisers stressed that none of the donations will be used for Vasquez’s legal defence.
The GoFundMe page stated: “Bryan’s life and death will bring many changes to the entire state of Louisiana and the world.”
