Santa Ana: Father, Girlfriend Arrested After 2-Year-Old Hospitalized With Stab Wound

File Photo by County News Service

12.19.2021 | 7:00 AM | SANTA ANA – A father and his girlfriend were in jail after a 2-year-old was hospitalized with stab wounds and other injuries, Sunday morning.

Authorities became aware of the abuse when the child was taken to a hospital by a family member.

Hospital officials discovered bruising in various stages along with an apparent stab wound to the left torso of the 2-year-old girl.

Police later discovered that the child’s father, 34-year-old Santos Beltran, and his girlfriend, 27-year-old Ana Villalba, were responsible for the abuse that is believed to have taken place over several months.

Reports indicate Beltran had dropped the child off with a family member, telling the relative that the child needed to go to a hospital

Both Beltran and Villalba were placed under arrest. Three other children who lived inside home where the abuse occurred were taken into the case of social services. None of the other children had sustained injuries.

Beltran is facing charges of attempted murder, child abuse, and domestic violence while Villalba was only charged with child endangerment.

The 2-year-old girl is expected to recover from her injuries.

Miles Madison

Miles started reporting breaking news in 2015 and has been providing high-quality news video and timely reports from the Orange County area ever since. Combining his experience as a seasoned photojournalist, radio operator and sleuth, Miles provides unrivaled multimedia news reports.