Caretaker details abuse child says he endured - Barahona Case

MIAMI (WSVN) -- The caretaker of a 10-year-old boy who was allegedly abused by his adoptive parents has provided new details about the abuse he said he and his murdered sister endured.

Katia Garcia was the temporary guardian who took care of Victor after the 10-year-old boy was found doused with chemicals and severely burned in a pickup truck on the side of Interstate 95, near West Palm Beach, on Feb. 14, 2011.

The body of Victor's twin sister, Nubia, was found in the back of the truck, which belonged to the siblings' adoptive father, Jorge Barahona.

The children's adoptive parents, Jorge and Carmen Barahona, were arrested and charged with murder and torture. Meanwhile, Victor was sent to live with Garcia.

Garcia made several audio statements to prosecutors in June, several months after Nubia's death. Garcia informed prosecutors that Victor told her what he remembered about living with the Barahonas. "His father used to put a bag over his head and that he used to choke him, and he says that there were a couple of times that he was very close to dying," said Garcia.

According to Garcia, Victor always referred to Jorge Barahona as "Dad," but that he nor his sister ever saw any signs of affection from their adoptive parents or heard them say "I love you."

Victor told Garcia about his sister Nubia and how she looked when he last saw her. "He stutters, because he's so angry. She had this big scab on her forehead and on her face and different parts of her face as well as smaller ones," Garcia said, "and he is very clear about that being what she looked like and how she was found the very last time he saw her."

Victor also talked about how he and his sister could barely walk after they were tied up for so long, Garcia said: "He would walk like hunchback because of the position that he had to remain in for so long."

Garcia continued, "He says that while they were in the bathtub, his dad would pour cold ice water on top of him and his sister."

In addition, Garcia said, Victor mentioned that Jorge Barahona would also pour other liquids on them while they were in the tub. "Like Clorox, like Drano," she said.

The abuse did not end there. "His father used to pour hot sauce in his ears, eyes, nose and mouth. His dad, his father, made him eat a cockroach," Garcia said Victor told her.

On another occasion, Garcia said, "[Victor] saw some of my eyelashes and then, he said that his was shut with like Krazy Glue."

According to Garcia, on Victor's birthday, all he could think of was Nubia. "That he missed her and that he thinks about her," she said. "He cried a couple times on his birthday."

Victor is now living with relatives in Texas.

Miami-Dade prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Jorge and Carmen Barahona.

Source http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/21006626802259/caretaker-details-abuse-child-says-he-endured/