Utah mom charged with not feeding her ‘near-fatal malnourished’ baby

WEST JORDAN, Utah (KSL.com) — A West Jordan mother is facing criminal charges after police say she nearly caused the death of her infant child due to malnourishment.

Emmylou Teresa Arellano, 41, was charged Thursday in 3rd District Court with two counts of aggravated child abuse, a second-degree felony.

On March 27, Arellano took her 2-month-old boy to a children’s clinic where doctors noticed the boy was “malnourished and running a fever,” according to charging documents. The boy was then taken to Primary Children’s Hospital where an officer said the boy “was so skinny that he could see the shape of his bones under his skin.”

“Doctors with Safe and Healthy Families determined that (the boy) qualified as ‘near-fatal malnourished’ with his face looking skeletal, his ribs and other bones showing, as well as beginning to develop ulcers near his tail bone from lack of fat,” the charges allege.

It was reported the boy weighed 7 pounds at birth but was now 5 pounds.

Arellano claimed she fed the baby every two hours, but she admitted she had never purchased any formula for the baby and her parents said they had only purchased one can per month, the charges state. A police detective “determined that one can of formula should last approximately five days.”

Prosecutors say Arellano admitted to using methamphetamine during and after her pregnancy and her son was born with the drug in his system, according to the charges. She also allegedly told police she had not had a follow-up appointment with a pediatrician since the boy’s birth.

EastIdahoNews.com comment boards are a place for open, honest, and civil communication between readers regarding the news of the day and issues facing our communities. We encourage commenters to stay on topic, use positive and constructive language, and be empathetic to the feelings of other commenters. THINK BEFORE YOU POST. Click here for more details on our commenting rules.