EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14/CBS4) — A one-year-old boy, who suffered severe injuries last August while in the care of his mother’s partner, was released from the hospital on Wednesday after six months of treatment.
Guillermo Barraza, the father of the 1-year-old child, shared on Wednesday in an Instagram post that his son had been released from a hospital in Austin after being treated for injuries he sustained in August 2025.
As KFOX14/CBS4 previously reported, on August 8, 2025, Barraza’s son was seriously injured under the care of Louis Whitson, the mother’s partner. Whitson was then arrested and charged with injury to the then 13-month-old child.
According to the arrest affidavit, Whitson took the child to the hospital after suffering seizures while in his care. Court documents further state that Whitson told investigators the boy hit his head in the tub and noticed he began acting differently.
Following the incident, a CT scan determined the child had a brain bleed and needed a craniotomy, court documents state.
Since then, the child has had nine surgeries, with most of them taking place in El Paso.
However, speaking to KFOX14/CBS4 in November 2025, Barraza said his son had since been receiving medical care in Austin.
Barraza said that his son has lost over 55% of his brain, affecting his ability to speak and communicate, and will be blind for life due to detached retinas and damaged optic nerves.
Barraza adds that despite the life-altering injuries, his son has been able to make significant progress.
“He does smile, He has said some broken words, he said ‘mama,’ and he has said ‘dada,” Barraza previously told KFOX14/CBS4.
Speaking to KFOX14/CBS4 on Thursday, Barraza said his son was released from the hospital in Austin after he completed neuro rehab.
Providing an update on his son’s health, Barraza said that while his son was released from the hospital, he “will still need to go through years of therapy and rehabilitation” as he cannot crawl.
However, Barraza said doctors will continue to work with the child to improve his mobility, adding that his son has already gained some control and function in his body.
He added that he hopes to get his son to the point where he can crawl and eventually walk.
1-year-old boy released from Austin hospital after alleged non-accidental brain injury (Credit: Guillermo Barraza)
Barraza said that while his son will continue to experience some health challenges, as he is permanently blind and will continue to throw up daily for a few years, his son is in “stable condition.”
Meanwhile, according to court records, Whitson still faces charges in the case, with a court hearing scheduled for later this month.
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