PORT JEFFERSON, Long Island (WABC) — Horrified parents on Long Island are speaking out after video captured a home health aide repeatedly slapping their child, who has cerebral palsy, last month.
The surveillance video, which captured the assault at the child’s home in Port Jefferson around 12:30 p.m. on December 20, is every parents worst nightmare.
Officials say 31-year-old Bruno Valenzuela, a home health aide who was employed by the Christian Nursing Registry in Smithtown, was caring for a 5-year-old boy named Maverick, who has cerebral palsy when the child started coughing and crying. Valenzuela then slapped the child aggressively in the back and chest, police said.
“He’s slapping him repeatedly in the chest while yelling at him to stop crying, and then he won’t stop crying. So. you can see that he’s visibly getting angry around him and just hitting him again,” said Christopher Brower, the child’s father.
Police arrested Valenzuela at his home in Brentwood on Thursday night.
He faced a judge on Friday, and was arraigned on charges, including endangering the welfare of a child and endangering the welfare of a physically disabled person.
Brower says Maverick is disabled and nonverbal. He says he discovered bruising on Maverick’s chest and back two days later.
“I was not told about it by his over-the-weekend nurse, which I found a little weird,” Brower said.
That’s when Brower started digging through surveillance and found the unthinkable.
He says Maverick was crying and coughing when Valenzuela unleashed a wave of slaps for roughly six minutes.
“I had no signs. If you asked me like five days before this happened, I would tell you, he’s an amazing person,” Brower said.
Valenzuela has been caring for Maverick for 3.5 years.
Following Valenzuela’s arrest, Christian Nursing Registry issued the following statement:
“We were horrified. In 38 years, we’ve never had this happen. He was with that family for 3.5 years and had a wonderful rapport with the family and the child. We’ve cooperated with every entity that has requested information from us. Immediately, the nurse was terminated and reported to the state licensing department. The father continues to use our agency. We’re heartbroken. We love this child. We love this family. We are as heartbroken as Mr. Brower.”
The home health care service adds that Valenzuela’s HR documents were up to date, including a background check.
The family is now hoping for justice.
“My son’s a fighter, hence his name, Maverick. So he has been through so much in his life and he doesn’t deserve this,” Brower said.
Detectives are asking anyone who believes they could have a family member who is a victim of Valenzuela to contact the Special Victims Unit at 631-852-6184.
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