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Heartbreaking details have come out in Utah about a four-month-old baby girl who was found badly hurt after her mother was taken into custody.
Police say Lizbeth Hurtado-Breton, 36, was arrested in Salt Lake City, Utah, after child services reported serious injuries on her infant daughter. Investigators say the baby was taken to Primary Children’s Hospital with burns on her face, broken bones and a brain bleed.
According to police records, the baby’s father was the one who raised concerns. He told officers that his daughter had been hurt while her mother was trying a “home remedy.”
“The father stated Lizbeth told him she held the baby over steam, then wiped the baby’s face with a napkin, which wiped off skin,” the arrest affidavit says.
Police later said that what Hurtado-Breton called a “humidifier” was actually a cooking pot. Investigators noted that the water had been brought to a boil.
“Lizbeth said her hands were feeling ‘very hot’ while she did this, but she did not think about how the steam would feel on [the girl’s] face,” the affidavit continued.
The father also described other moments that worried him. He told police that he once came home from work and saw tape placed over the baby’s mouth.
“[The father] asked the mother, Lizbeth Hurtado-Breton, why there was tape on [the girl’s] mouth and Lizbeth stated she would not stop crying,” the report says.
He said he also witnessed the baby’s arms being taped behind her back. According to the affidavit, the father shared photos showing tape on the child’s mouth, a photo of the baby’s arm and a video showing the mother force-feeding the baby.
“The father reported witnessing Lizbeth shoving a baby bottle down the baby’s face causing the baby to choke on the milk and not be able to breathe,” the document states.
Police say Hurtado-Breton later told officers the baby was not eating. She reportedly said the “easiest thing” to do was to put medical tape over the baby’s mouth to hold the pacifier in place.
Child services workers later confirmed that the baby had injuries in different stages of healing.
“The child also has several bone fractures and a brain bleed and several other injuries in different phases of healing,” a police booking affidavit states.
The father also shared what he believed may have played a role in how the baby was treated.
“The father stated Lizbeth wished the baby would have been a boy and believes this is why Lizbeth has been so awful to the baby and not awful to the older siblings,” the affidavit says.
That same statement was later cited by KSL, which reported on the arrest and the affidavit details.
After speaking with law enforcement, Hurtado-Breton was taken into custody and booked on torture charges, according to police. Authorities say the investigation began after DCFS reported the baby’s injuries and alerted officers.
In a later development, police also charged the baby’s father in connection with the case. Court records show he was arrested months after the mother and now faces child abuse-related charges.
Investigators said the father had witnessed signs of harm and concerning behavior inside the home but did not take steps to stop it or report it sooner. Prosecutors allege that despite having photos and videos showing the baby’s condition, he failed to protect the child.
As of the most recent update, the baby remained under medical care and officials had not released details about her recovery or long-term condition. No trial dates or plea decisions have been publicly announced for either parent.
Police say the case is still under review, with all information based on arrest affidavits, medical findings and statements provided to law enforcement.
