02.21.2014
A McAllen mother is facing deportation after being arrested for not reporting an assault on her son that injured his foot, and then let his injury go untreated for almost a month.
McAllen Police arrested Mely Saldana after an investigation into a possible injury to a child that occurred in January.
"She didn't have money and she was scared," a friend of Saldana who does not want to be identified said.
The friend will be referred to as "Maria".
She said Saldana lived in fear and anguish after her son was injured by her husband during an argument over what channel to watch on TV.
According to court documents obtained by Action 4 News, the 15 year-old alleges his step-dad threw him to the floor causing him to land on his foot in an awkward position.
Instead of taking the teen to the hospital, Saldana treated her son's injury with Tylenol.
"She told me she left her husband because she feared he would come back and hurt her son more," Maria said.
She said Saldana did not report the attack on her son because she feared deportation because she is in the country illegally.
Instead she left her husband and took her children to a home in South McAllen where she struggled to get by.
"She didn't have anyone to help her and no money," Maria said.
Saldana took her son to a masseuse and to a doctor at a clinic who both told her that her son possibly had a fractured foot.
Unable to afford treatment she continued to give Tylenol to her son for his injured foot for 25 days.
Court documents show the teen had to use crutched at school to get around because the pain was unbearable.
On February 13th the teen was finally taken to McAllen Medical and underwent surgery for a fractured ankle.
Saldana was arrested for injury of a child and failing to report a felony.
She was handed over to ICE after posting bond.
Action 4 News is working to find out if the teen's step-dad will be charged for the alleged assault.
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