HOUSTON – A man is being sought for allegedly physically abusing a 4-year-old child who was visiting his home last year, according to the Houston Police Department.
Cesar Roman Flores, AKA “Jose Castro,” 46, has been charged with injury to a child.
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On March 30, 2022, Houston police officers responded to a report of a child victim who was injured in north Houston. During the investigation, police say they were told that Flores physically abused the child.
Court document details alleged abuse
The abuse was first discovered on Feb. 15, 2022 after the child returned to school and started complaining of feeling pain, according to court documents. When the child was sent to the nurse’s office, they reportedly found a large bruise on the victim’s back and neck. School officials were told that Flores hit the child on the back and head with a shoe.
Child Protective Service was called, and a caseworker was assigned to follow up, docs show. The child was interviewed by the caseworker on Feb. 17 and reportedly learned that the man also smacked the child in the back and ear. The caseworker also said the bruise could still be seen on the child’s back.
Investigators said the bruises resembled a shoe print, with the larger bruise resembling a sole of a shoe and a smaller bruise resembling the heel of a shoe, docs show.
According to documents, when Flores was contacted by CPS on March 4, he told them that it was “bull****” and that the child probably fell at the park. He also told them that the child had been having back pain since Feb. 14 but said when he checked, he didn’t see anything.
Investigators determined that the incident likely happened on Feb. 12 at Flores’ home.
On Sept. 13, 2022, docs show that the child, now 5 years old, was interviewed again by CPS. The child expressed to the caseworker not wanting to visit Flores anymore.
The child’s mother said Flores was with the child at the time of the injury, according to court records. The mother told investigators that she did not know about the bruise until the child returned from school on Feb. 15. She said she took a photo of the child’s back and sent it to the suspect, asking what happened. He reportedly said that the child fell at the park.
According to court records, the mother was told that Flores struck the child on the head and back, then pushed the child for allegedly trying to get some yogurt belonging to Flores’ son from the refrigerator.
CPS reportedly interviewed the suspect again on Oct. 27, 2022, where he denied injuring the child. When Flores was asked why the child did not show up for classes on the 14th, he could not provide a reason.
Charges were filed against Flores, but no arrest has been made.
Crime Stoppers is offering to pay up to $5,000 for information that will lead to an arrest. Anyone with information on Flores’ whereabouts is being asked to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.