UPDATE: Banning father arrested after toddler’s “torture” related death

UPDATED: Wednesday, Nov. 7, 3:30 p.m.

See original story below.

BANNING — As Banning PD’s investigation continues into yesterday’s murder of a two-year-old girl, who authorities say died at the hands of her father, officials released the name of the man believed to have caused the victim’s injuries and tragic death.

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Officials have now identified 35-year-old, Banning resident, Dany Boy Vidaury, as the man suspected of what one official called one of the worst cases of child abuse he had ever seen or investigated. The victim’s name has not yet been publicly released.

Vidaury was booked into Riverside County Jail on suspicion of inflicting great bodily injury to a child and child cruelty resulting in death. He remains in custody on $290,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned at an unspecified court tomorrow, Nov. 8.

During their investigation, detectives learned the girl, who reportedly just celebrated her second birthday last month, “had sustained severe head and body trauma” while spending a few days at her father’s Banning trailer. According to the victim’s distraught and grieving mother, it was her daughter’s first visit with Vidaury after he was recently granted partial custody of the little girl.

“After obtaining an original statement from the two year old’s father, and evidence associated with this case, Vidaury’s account of the incident did not coincide with evidence obtained by Detectives,” BPD said in an updated press release after Vidaury’s arrest.

Vidaury “took care and custody” of his daughter Nov 1, and during that time, he was the “sole caretaker and person in contact with the victim,” according to BPD, who said the toddler sustained injuries and bruising throughout her body, which resulted in her death.

Banning PD’s investigation is continuing and officials have asked for the public’s help with any information they may have about Vidaury or his time spent with the victim.

Anyone who has additional information about this investigation to immediately contact the Banning Police Department Detective Bureau at (951) 922-3170. Callers can refer to incident file number 18-2891 and can remain anonymous.

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information is available.

 

Original story: More details emerge after Banning toddler’s “torture” related death

UPDATED: Wednesday, Nov. 7, 10:30 a.m., With additional details from BPD.

BANNING — A shocked family and community are learning more today about the death yesterday of a toddler; whose bruised, battered, and lifeless body was brought in to a Banning hospital yesterday morning.

Officials have called the incident one of the worst cases of child abuse they have ever seen and the child’s father – who was just recently granted partial custody and was having his daughter over for the very first time – has been detained and is the primary suspect in the victim’s tragic death.

According to the girl’s mother, the victim’s father is her ex-boyfriend and the family had just celebrated the girl’s second birthday in October.

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Banning PD’s investigation began early Tuesday morning, Nov. 6, around 6:45 a.m., when officers were dispatched to San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital in Banning after receiving reports of a suspicious circumstances involving an unresponsive child who was brought to the hospital with serious head and other injuries.

“The reporting party, who is a hospital employee, told officers that an adult male arrived at the hospital with a two-year-old female toddler who was not breathing,” BPD later said.

Officers who responded to the hospital learned the child had succumbed to her injuries and summoned detectives to the scene, who assumed the death investigation.

As their investigation was getting underway, detectives learned it was the first time the toddler had visited her father alone since being granted partial custody and she had been in the man’s care for five or six days when he brought her lifeless body to the hospital.

“We have evidence to show when the child left the mother she was in a good state, and had no injuries and here we are, the child has injuries that ultimately resulted in her death,” Sgt. Mike Bennett later told NBC4, saying the toddler was covered head to toe with bruises, which is why officials believe the girl was tortured.

As of Tuesday evening, investigators were still gathering evidence from the Banning trailer on 4th St. where the man lives behind a home, and where they believe the abuse occurred. Officials had also cordoned off a blue Ford Mustang the father reportedly used to take the child to the hospital.

The father of the toddler has been detained for further questioning but has not yet been arrested and according to officials he has not been cooperating with the ongoing investigation. The girl’s mother on the other hand has reportedly been cooperative with detectives.

Banning PD officials are in the early stages of their investigation and have said they will provide updates as they become available.

The Banning Police Department is asking anyone who has additional information about this investigation to immediately contact the Banning Police Department Detective Bureau at (951) 922-3170. Callers can refer to incident file number 18-2891 and can remain anonymous.

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information is available.

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 47, moved last year to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 14 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.