Norfolk Nebraska Daily News
3-18-16
Norfolk women
A 21-year-old Norfolk woman is being held on 10 percent of a $500,000 bond on felony child abuse charges here.
Caylee Hoehne
Abuse charge
By ANDREA LARSON
alarson@norfolkdailynews.com | Posted 2 days ago
MADISON — A 21-year-old Norfolk woman is being held on 10 percent of a $500,000 bond on felony child abuse charges here.
Carla Montoya is in county jail following an incident Saturday morning that left her 4-year-old daughter with serious injuries.
Joanie Brugger, director of the Madison County victim/witness unit, said the child, Caylee Hoehne, was brought into Faith Regional Health Services early Sunday morning in an unresponsive state.
The child had suffered a skull fracture and a brain bleed, and her body was covered with bruises that were indicative of child abuse.
“This is truly a horrific crime, and I am sure that everyone in the community wishes the best for the child. Madison County is fortunate to have an aggressive prosecutor that will take this matter very seriously, as it should be,” Brugger said.
According to court documents, Montoya told investigators with the Norfolk Police Division that she had “tossed” Caylee into her bed three times between 11 a.m. and noon on Saturday. The last time she tossed the child, Montoya was “very upset,” she said.
Montoya told police she grabbed Caylee around her torso and squeezed before throwing her into bed and that she believed the girl may have hit her head on the bed frame or the wall.
Court records indicate that Montoya said Caylee fell asleep and later awoke at about 4 p.m. for a short time but then went back to sleep until about 9 p.m. When the child woke again, she was vomiting and became lethargic. Caylee went back to sleep and wouldn’t wake up, despite Montoya putting her in the shower.
Caylee was taken to Faith Regional at about 1 a.m. Sunday. Due to her injuries, she was then transported by medical helicopter to Children’s Hospital & Medical Center in Omaha.
A doctor at Faith Regional told investigators that Caylee’s injuries were very severe, that she was not responding to treatment and there was a good chance she would not survive.
Caylee was removed from Montoya’s custody on Sunday and turned over to Child Protective Services (CPS). Court documents further report that an official with CPS said Caylee had been placed into a medically induced coma because she continued to be unresponsive to treatment.
Montoya is being held on one count of committed child abuse negligently causing injury, a Class 3A felony, which carries no minimum sentences and up to three years in prison. If Caylee does not survive her injuries, Montoya faces a charge of child abuse resulting in death, a Class 2A felony, which carries no minimum and a maximum of 20 years in prison.
Montoya is housed in the Madison County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, March 22, at 9 a.m.