Mother and male relative arrested after torturing 3-year-old boy, officials say

A San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department vehicle, seen in this undated photo posted online by the department.

A San Bernardino woman and her relative were arrested for the alleged abuse of a three-year-old child who was hospitalized with numerous injuries, but they attempted to attribute the cause of his injuries to a “drug deal” gone wrong.

On Sunday, the child, whose identity was not released, was taken to the emergency room at San Bernardino Community Hospital by his mother, Destiny Christine Haro, 26, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.

Haro took the child to medical care while her relative, 28-year-old Robert Kelly Ursulo, with whom the boy lived, reported to officials that he had been “physically assaulted by a male offender in connection with a drug deal.” The male offender also entered the child’s room and physically assaulted the boy, authorities said.

“Later in the investigation, it was determined that the man who attacked Ursulo did not attack the juvenile victim,” who was not present when officers arrived, authorities said.

The boy’s injuries to his “head, chest, back, arms, legs and genitals” were actually caused by Ursulo himself, with whom Haro had left the child six weeks earlier, authorities said.

“Haro failed to conduct security checks on the victim personally or through friends, family or police,” the press release states.

The boy was eventually taken to Loma Linda University Medical Center Children’s Hospital for treatment and is in stable condition. He was taken into custody by San Bernardino County Children and Family Services.

Haro was arrested for child abuse or endangerment and child abandonment. Ursulo was arrested for torture, child abuse or endangerment and false imprisonment.

Both are being held at the Central Detention Center on $100,000 bail. Jail records show Haro is also charged with assault on a spouse, ex-spouse or date and bail has been set at $10,000.

Both are due to appear in San Bernardino Superior Court on Tuesday afternoon.

Anyone with information is asked to call 909-387-3545. To report information anonymously, call WeTip at 888-78-CRIME.