Rocia Acenth Tovar Calderon
Prince Frederick, MD – A Calvert County woman was indicted last month on child abuse charges, court documents stated. The defendant is identified as Rocia Acenth Tovar Calderon, 40 of Prince Frederick. A grand jury indicted Calderon on two counts—second-degree child abuse, which is a felony; and second-degree assault.
According to a statement of charges filed in District Court by Detective Jernigan of the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office, a Head Start program teacher notified authorities about “visible marks” on the body of a three-year-old child. Jernigan and a Child Protective Services (CPS) worker responded to Calderon’s residence Aug. 10. The worker had photographed the child after receiving notification from the teacher. The CPS worker photographed numerous marks on the child’s arms, chest, back and legs “that appeared to have been made by a thin cord of some type,” Jernigan stated.
In the statement of charges, Jernigan’s interview with the defendant yielded information that the child was being hit frequently for disciplinary reasons. At one point, Calderon admitted to frequently hitting the child with a shoe because spanking “hurts her hand” and “gives her blood clots.” Jernigan described Calderon’s residence as “extremely unkempt, with old food on the floor, tables, chairs and counters. Insects were visible flying around the residence, crawling on the counters and floors.”
According to Jernigan’s court statement, the CPS worker prepared a safety plan for Calderon, “which was signed by both parties indicating that she [Calderon] was not allowed” to hit the child with any objects. Then 11 days later Jernigan requested that Calderon be charged with second-degree child abuse and second-degree assault.
The defendant posted $10,000 bond Aug. 22.
Calderon is being represented by Annapolis attorney Marysabel Nanney-Rodriguez. A status hearing on the state’s case against Calderon is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 23 in Calvert County Circuit Court.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com