Beaten toddler was crying over a toy, claims Kennewick suspect

A Kennewick man claims he repeatedly hit his 3-year-old cousin because the boy was crying for a toy.

Octavio Flores, 20, pleaded innocent this week in Benton County Superior Court to second-degree assault of a child.

The charge includes the aggravating circumstance that he used his position of trust to commit the crime. He remains locked up in the Benton County jail in lieu of $200,000.

Flores was caring for the toddler on Sept. 19 while the boy’s mother — Flores’ cousin — was out of town.

He took the child to the emergency room at Trios Southridge Hospital with severe head injuries.

Kennewick police initially identified the victim as Flores’ nephew.

After asking how the child was hurt, a doctor called police after realizing the injuries couldn’t have happened the way Flores described.

Doctors discovered the toddler had extreme bruising and swelling around his skull, and suffered a concussion, according to court documents.

A doctor told Officer Ken Melone that “the severity of the assault could have been fatal and there may be lasting effects,” documents said.

Melone saw the boy and noted that one side of his head was swollen and purple colored, and his right eye was swollen shut, court documents said.

Flores was detained by police. He gave multiple accounts of what caused the injuries, first saying the toddler fell and then that he was struck by a car, before admitting he hit the boy, documents said.

His trial is scheduled for Nov. 13.