EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 An El Paso toddler continues to face challenges nearly a year after suffering severe injuries that authorities say were inflicted by his mother\u2019s boyfriend, as the one-year-old is set to take the next critical step in his recovery. <\/p>\n
As KFOX14\/CBS4 previously reported, on August 8, 2025, Azriel Barraza 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.<\/p>\n
Since then, Azriel has suffered brain injuries and has had nine surgeries. <\/p>\n
Speaking to KFOX14\/CBS4 on Friday, Azriel\u2019s father, Guillermo Barraza, said his son is now \u201cpermanently blind\u201d and has lost control of the right side of his body.<\/p>\n
Barraza said that while his son has made other improvements since the incident, his son still faces an uphill battle as he is working to get Azriel into an intensive out-of-state rehabilitation program in Colorado, hoping it will give him the best chance at recovery. <\/p>\n
However, Barraza said insurance will not cover the cost.<\/p>\n
“He regained the left side of his body completely, but there are still like sporadic movements,\u201d Barraza said. “He still shows emotion, and that’s what has everybody in like incomplete disbelief. He’s a miraculous recovery because everybody across the board had told us, you know, he had hours to live, then it was that he would have literally zero quality of life, and right now our son still shows emotion.” <\/p>\n
He added, “There are a lot of limitations on how far, you know, we can go medically, but now by doing this rehab, it pushes those limitations to be less impactful,” Barraza said. “We want to give him the absolute best chance possible to be able to recover as close to you know normal as he can.” <\/p>\n
The rehabilitation comes after Barraza shared in February that his son had been released from an Austin hospital after six months of treatment for the injuries he sustained during the incident last August. <\/p>\n
According to the arrest affidavit, Whitson initially 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.<\/p>\n
Following the incident, a CT scan determined Azriel had a brain bleed and needed a craniotomy, court documents state. <\/p>\n
According to Barraza, while most of the treatments took place in El Paso, Azriel was then moved to Austin to receive care.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
However, Barraza said on Friday his son has continued to fight through the months-long ordeal.<\/p>\n
“I just wanna say, you know, my son has been a fighter through this all. Oh my God, he has shown such strength, such, you know, resilience,” Barraza said. “I’m just completely overwhelmed with how strong he is, how much support he’s received, you know, how as horrendous as this whole situation is, it’s really taught me to love life again.” <\/p>\n
The family has set up a GoFundMe here<\/a> for Azriel’s medical costs. <\/p>\n Meanwhile, according to court records, Whitson still faces charges in the case. While a jury trial that was set for April has been cancelled, a status hearing in the case is scheduled for June. <\/p>\n RECOMMENDED: 1-year-old boy released from Austin hospital after alleged non-accidental brain injury<\/a><\/p>\n