HAMILTON COUNTY, Ind. — Two people are now charged with neglect of a young girl after the child was taken to a hospital with injuries described as "near fatal."
According to court documents, it started more than a week ago when Elizabeth Guerrero and her fiancé, Robert Bartley, were in the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office parking lot. The Noblesville Fire Department was there, helping caring for the 4-year-old girl. When they suspected abuse, they called detectives.
Investigators say the little girl was sent to Peyton Manning Children's Hospital. The documents say she had multiple burns and injuries all over her body and was malnourished. Court documents stated she had to be sedated because her heart could not take any more stress.
Detectives say the little girl's father lives in North Carolina. They said the little girl was with him until the middle of July, when her mom, Guerrero, came to get her.
According to the probable cause affidavit, medical records show the little girl was seen by a doctor in May of this year and at that time had no injuries. The court documents say the girl weighed 10 pounds more than she does now.
Court documents say when she was interviewed by investigators, Guerrero kept changing her story, at different times saying the little girl hurt herself, blaming the girl's father, claiming it was an accident, even saying Guerrero did it herself, allegedly admitting to hitting her child while she was on drugs.
Court documents also say the the couple lives in Ohio. They do not give a reason why they were here in Indiana.
The court documents say the little girl is still on a ventilator. Doctors told investigators she may have some longer-term issues because of her injuries.
Both Guerrero and Bartley are being held on a $1 million bond.