OKC Parents Arrested on Suspicion of Abusing Infant, Toddler

By Kirsten McIntyre, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A 7-week-old baby is in state custody after being severely abused, authorities said. He suffered several broken bones and a fractured skull.

Due to privacy laws, we're unable to find out if the baby is still hospitalized, and if so, his condition.

But police said at last check the baby and his 3-year-old brother were both going to be OK.

It was last week when police were called out to the Rodeway Inn and Suites on South Rockwell. A DHS worker was already there.

"When the workers got there they did see two young children in this room, and saw what they believed to be injuries on the children," said Oklahoma City Police Department Sgt. Jennifer Wardlow. "They saw bruising so they in turn contacted police."

The two children, a 3-year-old and 7-week-old, were taken to Children's hospital. When they arrived, medical staff quickly determined the baby had serious injuries.

"The 3-year-old did have some injuries, but they were superficial, some bruising, some swelling, nothing significant, fortunately, but the younger one was not so fortunate," said Wardlow. "It did have several injuries, multiple fractures, multiple broken bones as well as skull fracture."

Police arrested the children's parents, Kord Rawls and Izabeau Basaldua, both 20 years old. In a court affidavit, Rawls admitted to slamming the baby's head against the car seat, bed and door jam. At a home on S.W. 18th Street he admitted he "punched" and "slapped" the infant.

As for the mother, police say she knew Rawls was physically abusing the children and had seen him "strangling" the 7-week-old.

"These two have been taken off the streets, taken into custody and the kids, of course, are in DHS custody," Wardlow said.

Early Monday there was a message circulating on Facebook about DHS needing volunteers to help 24 hours a day to hold an abused baby with 16 broken bones and a skull fracture. DHS will not say if this is the same child but do say volunteers have to go through a screening process first. They say they're always looking for more volunteers.