On September 13, 2005, Joshua Torres, 25, of Woodlake, was sentenced to 16 years in State Prison for two separate incidents of child abuse involving different victims. The defendant was sentenced by the Honorable Judge Valerino Saucedo.

On July 6, 2005, a 6-month-old-baby boy was brought into a Kaweah Delta District Hospital by his mother. Upon admission into the hospital, the baby was lethargic and unresponsive. A CAT scan showed fluid had collected on the victim’s brain as the result of a blow to the head. Due to the severity of the injury, the child was immediately transferred to Children’s Hospital Central California. Doctors determined the child had a bruise to his face consistent with a fist, and that the child suffered from Shaken Baby Syndrome. The child needed emergency surgery to relieve the pressure to his brain from the fluid build up. An investigation revealed that the child was in the sole care and custody of the defendant, Joshua Torres, at the time he suffered the injury. Doctors reported the injuries were consistent with child abuse.

On March 16, 2005, a 2-month-old baby girl was brought to a local hospital by her mother for an apparent injury to her arm. The mother observed the baby’s arm to be red and swollen. Doctors immediately transferred the child Children’s Hospital of Central California. Children’s Hospital Doctors determined that the baby had one broken rib, a broken arm, and a possible skull fracture. It was determined that these injuries were consistent with repeated instances of trauma to the child. Later investigation showed that the injury to the child’s arm occurred when the defendant had removed the child from her car seat in a moving van. The defendant claimed he dropped the child while trying to stop her from crying.

At the time of both of these instances, the defendant was on probation for a prior felony conviction for child abuse causing a traumatic injury. The conviction was suffered in October of 2002. In that case, the victim, a 6 week old baby, suffered several broken ribs, bruising, and a depressed skull fracture.


On August 11, 2005, the defendant pled guilty as charged. The defendant pled guilty to both instances of abuse in March and July of 2005, admitting he caused great bodily injury to each child. The defendant also admitted he suffered a prior conviction for child abuse.

On September 13, 2005, the court sentenced the defendant to the midterm of 16 years in State Prison as a result of his plea. The People argued for the maximum sentence allowed by law of 20 years and 4 months. The defendant was further ordered to have no contact with any of the victims in the case.


This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Shani D. Engum of the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office and investigated by Detective Jim Carr of the Visalia Police Department.

Contact Persons:
Carol B. Turner, Assistant District Attorney (559) 733-6411
Shani D. Engum, Deputy District Attorney