Authorities in New Orleans have arrested the mother of a 12-year-old boy who died from “blunt force trauma due to an alligator and drowning,” a case that has shaken the local community and raised questions about parental responsibility and police response.
Police confirmed that 34-year-old Hilda Vasquez, the mother of Bryan Vasquez, faces charges of negligent homicide and second-degree cruelty to juveniles. The boy’s body was discovered in a canal on August 26, nearly two weeks after he was first reported missing.
Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick of the New Orleans Police Department called the case a “failure,” noting that the boy’s tragic death reflected broader challenges. “And as I said, we’re going to look at everything. I mean, everything,” she said. Deputy Superintendent Nicholas Gernon added, “We’re looking at all aspects. This is a fact-finding mission.”
Bryan, who had autism, was reported missing on August 14 around 5:20 a.m. after slipping out of his home through a window. Police said he later died from blunt force injuries and drowning, likely after an encounter with an alligator. The exact time of his death remains unclear.
The investigation into his disappearance soon widened to include his mother, whose history of child abuse cases resurfaced. In 2014, Hilda Vasquez had been charged after Bryan, then just 6 months old, was found with a fractured skull and broken legs. She eventually pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of simple cruelty to juveniles due to negligent treatment or neglect.
More recently, Vasquez admitted she had not yet installed safety measures in their new home, despite Bryan’s known tendency to sneak out. At their previous residence, he would often leave to visit a nearby playground.
Family translator Cristiane Rosales-Fajardo, who supported the family during the search, described the ordeal as “like a war.” She recalled, “She just was holding on to faith and fate. When they finally confirmed that it was her son, she asked to see his body. Well, they’re not allowing her to see the body because of the decomposition…and the damage that the alligators caused. I brought them to my house, which is right around the corner from her house, and we just cried.”
Vasquez has also voiced anger at police, claiming it took five hours for authorities to update her after she filed the missing persons report. Officials admitted the delay was “inordinate.” Kirkpatrick said an internal probe had been launched into the handling of the case.
City officials issued a statement mourning Bryan, calling him “a bright, charismatic, and energetic young boy whose joy and spirit touched the lives of his family, friends, and community.”