VERO BEACH — A 26-year-old man faces an aggravated child abuse charge after a 2-year-old girl was brought into the emergency room with life-threatening injuries, according to an arrest report.
Stevie Wallace Jr., who admitted to deputies he was a drug dealer, also was booked on drug charges including possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held at the Indian River County Jail without bond; his address was not available.
Stevie Wallace Jr.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Deputies responded on Sept. 22 to the Indian River Medical Center emergency room and spoke with a physician, who said the 2-year-old girl had life-threatening injuries. The physician said the girl had a swelling of clotted blood in her brain which caused her brain to shift from right to left by a centimeter.
The physician also said the girl’s left lung had “bruising and a possible fracture,” according to the arrest report. A deputy at the scene observed the girl had extensive bruising to her head, arms, legs and buttocks as well as a cut on her head.
A woman and her boyfriend, later identified as Wallace, were taken to the Sheriff’s Office for questioning. During the interview, the two gave deputies the location of the Vero Beach home where the abuse occurred.
The boyfriend is not the father of the child and details on whether the girlfriend is the mother were not available, according to deputies.
Deputies went to the home and saw a Crown Royal bag in the master bedroom with about 76 grams of marijuana packaged in 54 individual baggies. They also found a second bag that contained about 22 grams of marijuana, deputies said.
In the master bedroom, deputies found grinders used for marijuana, scales, empty baggies, a smoking device, a loaded firearm magazine and a locked safe. Wallace admitted to deputies he was a drug dealer and sold illegal drugs, which earns him $150 per week.
He also admitted the drugs in the bag and the drug paraphernalia belonged to him. Wallace was arrested and taken to the county jail for booking.
Details on whether the girlfriend also was charged were not immediately available.