A 21-year-old Illinois man, Jordan Padilla, has been arrested and charged with multiple counts of battery following an incident that left a toddler critically injured. The Will County Sheriff’s Office reported that first responders were summoned to a residence in Plainfield on March 15, where they found a 2-year-old girl unconscious but breathing. The child was in the company of her mother and Padilla, who is the mother’s boyfriend.
Paramedics on the scene noted suspicious injuries on the toddler’s face and abdomen, prompting an immediate transfer to a local hospital. Upon further examination, medical professionals discovered that the child’s condition was significantly more severe than initially thought.
Following treatment at the local hospital, the toddler was transferred to another medical facility in Chicago due to the critical nature of her condition. Medical personnel reported that she had a blown left pupil, a left-sided gaze preference, and bruising around her left eye. They also suspected internal injuries. Further examination revealed a fractured skull and a brain bleed.
Upon questioning by detectives, Padilla and his unnamed girlfriend provided inconsistent accounts of the incident. Padilla’s statements were found to be contradictory to the injuries sustained by the toddler. When asked to demonstrate how he allegedly struck the child, detectives concluded that Padilla had hit the girl in the face with his elbow.
According to Deputy Chief Dan Jungles of the Will County Sheriff’s Office, Padilla allegedly attacked the toddler because he was upset that she had thrown his cellphone. The child’s mother was reportedly not present in the room during the incident and was not informed of the events by Padilla.
Padilla has been charged with battery, domestic battery, aggravated battery, aggravated domestic battery, and aggravated battery of a child. He is currently detained at the Will County Adult Detention Facility, awaiting his next court appearance.