On August 26, 2025, the body of 12-year-old Bryan Vasquez was found in a New Orleans lagoon. The boy, who was nonverbal because of a brain condition, had allegedly left his family’s home through a window nearly two weeks before his body was found. Ultimately, it was discovered the boy was attacked by an alligator and drowned. Now, nearly two weeks after his body was found, his mother is facing criminal charges.
On September 7, Hilda Vasquez, 34, was taken into custody, ABC News reported. She has been charged with negligent homicide and second-degree cruelty to juveniles, New Orleans police said. They alleged she exhibited a “pattern” of negligence and that Bryan was a victim of trauma throughout his life.
“There has been a pattern of both negligence and abuse over Bryan’s 12 years,” Deputy Superintendent Nicholas Gernon said during a news conference, per ABC News. “We believe that we can prove that that pattern of negligence and abuse led to … undue pain and suffering on his part.”
In 2013, when Bryan was just 3 months old, Hilda Vasquez allegedly injured him, police said, according to Nola.com. He received severe injuries, including a damaged lung, retinal hemorrhages, fractures in both legs that caused his ankles to bend outward, and a skull fracture with swelling, police said. He was removed from the home by the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services.
Hilda Vasquez was charged with cruelty to juveniles and second-degree cruelty to juveniles in 2014, per Nola.com. She eventually submitted a guilty plea of negligent treatment or neglect, which is a lesser charge.
A 2021 DCFS report stated that according to an individualized education plan, the boy’s disability was described as a “traumatic brain injury (non-accidental).”
According to a report from WVUE, DCFS launched a new investigation into the woman’s behavior after Bryan Vasquez was found dead.
The mother appeared in court on September 8, WWL-TV reported. As part of the court’s conditions, she has been prohibited from contacting her three living children, which include a newborn, while the case is pending. If she’s released on bail, she must stay 600 feet away from them. Additionally, she must participate in a domestic violence abuse program and a monitoring program.
Prosecutors announced they are seeking protective orders for the three children.
“Our detectives will continue to pursue every fact and every aspect and to any investigative leads,” Assistant Superintendent Hans Ganthier said during the news conference. They said the case remains an “active and sensitive investigation.”
An internal investigation into the five-hour delay between the time Bryan Vasquez was reported missing and when police responded has begun, New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said in an August 27 news conference, ABC News reported.
“This was an emotional and really traumatic case, not just for the community, the family, but also our own officers,” Ganthier said, per the news outlet. “We wish the outcome would have been different, but it’s not the case, so we have to pursue and seek justice for Bryan.”
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child) or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
