PHOENIX — A Goodyear official and his wife have been arrested on suspicion of child abuse stemming from a potty-training “war” with their 4-year-old daughter, police said.
Police said Thursday that Raul Varela, 40, and Tricia Varela, 39, were arrested Tuesday and booked on one count of felony child abuse each.
Raul Varela is Goodyear’s engineering director. A call to the Varelas’ home was not returned Thursday night.
Police said Tricia Varela took her 4-year-old adopted daughter to the emergency room and reported that the girl had constipation. But hospital staff discovered the girl had two broken legs and a fractured upper right arm after they became suspicious about bruises covering her body.
Police said the Varelas admitted they had caused the girl’s injuries on Saturday during a “war” to get her to go to the bathroom, according to a police report. The Varelas told police they forced her on the toilet by restraining her with her hands held behind her back, pushing on her stomach, back and legs, and pushing her head down between her legs.
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Raul Varela told police he and his wife often force the girl on the toilet for “hours on end” because it’s the only way they can get her to comply, according to the report.
Police took a leather shoe, flip flop and several kitchen spatulas from the Varelas’ Goodyear home — items Tricia Varela said she used to strike the girl, according to the report.
Child Protective Services removed five other children from the couple’s home — two biological sons, ages 7 and 9, and three adopted daughters, ages 2 to 8. They will take custody of the 4-year-old once she’s recovered.
The Varelas have been released until a preliminary hearing May 19. They are not allowed to have unsupervised contact with anyone younger than 18, records show.
Raul Varela was placed on paid administrative leave from his Goodyear job. He was hired in 2006, and his annual salary is about $121,000.
“The city of Goodyear is very concerned about the situation and we’re looking into the details,” city spokeswoman Nora Fascenelli said. “This is pending for internal review of the situation and (an employment) determination will be made as we have more facts.”
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