Woman charged with child abuse tries to escape
A woman arrested last week for child abuse was arrested on additional charges after she attempted to escape from the city jail following a bond hearing, officials said.
Anali Vasquez, 28, of 309 Madison St., Russellville, was arrested for first-degree escape and second-degree assault of a police officer, Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett said.
Hargett said Vasquez and her husband, Jose Gregerio Vasquez-Roca, 29, of 701 Marlin St., Russellville, were in jail after they were both charged with one count of child abuse and arrested on Tuesday for allegedly failing to take proper care of their three-year-old child when she was scalded by soup from the microwave.
According to RPD investigator Lt. Scotty Lowery, Vasquez was being interviewed at the Russellville City Jail following about 3 p.m. when she attempted to escape.
“She was talking to immigration officials since she does not have proper documentation, and she jumped up, ran through the squad room and outside into the parking lot,” Lowery said.
“Officers were able to apprehend her before she got past the courthouse.”
During Vasquez’s escape, Lowery said Sgt. Linda Michael was injured while trying to prevent Vasquez from leaving the police department.
Michael was treated and released from Russellville Hospital.
Officials said Vasquez had just returned from the Franklin County Courthouse for a bond hearing in the child abuse case when the incident occurred.
According to Hargett, the Franklin County Department of Human Resources was called to a local doctor’s office on Oct. 3 to evaluate a three-year-old female child who had sustained second-degree burns.
Lowery said DHR workers discovered the burns had allegedly occurred four days earlier on Sept. 29 when the child was accidently scalded by hot soup that had come out of the microwave.
“The burns were so severe that the child had to be taken at that time to the burn unit at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham where she was treated for three days,” Lowery said.
Hargett said investigators consulted with the Franklin County District Attorney’s Office before they decided to arrest the girl’s parents for child abuse.
“This child received severe burns but did not receive medical attention until four days later,” Hargett said.
“There’s no excuse for letting that child suffer for that long.”
The child was taken into DHR custody after being released from the hospital.
