Exclusive: New Jersey police officer falsely accused of child abuse still trying to get life back
CARNEYS POINT, N.J. (CBS) - A New Jersey police officer said he's trying to get his life back after he was charged with assault on a toddler. It took more than a year before a judge tossed the case, but Anthony Minguez said the damage is done and his reputation and relationships will never be the same.
In February, a judge dismissed the case against Minguez, ruling the prosecution failed to present enough evidence to prove the child's injuries were the result of abuse and not caused by an accident.
CBS News Philadelphia exclusively talked with Minguez and the toddler's mom about what they call a tragic accident followed by accusations they claim are false.
Super Bowl Sunday 2023
Anthony Minguez said it all started on Super Bowl Sunday of 2023. He said he offered to watch his girlfriend's 2-year-old son in the morning so she could get some things done. Minguez said he'd watched the boy a few times before and had witnessed some of his tantrums so when he woke up from his nap crying and kicking, Minguez quickly tried to calm the toddler down.
"He's head banging, he's kicking, he's pushing," Minguez said. "I grab his water to see if he wants his water, pushes that away."
Minguez explained he had picked the boy up and was holding him in his arms when he went to grab his snack and that's when the boy lunged backward, arched his back and fell to the tile floor.
"He just goes whack and I just, literally, I just lost him. By the time I spun to try to catch him, he was already hitting - he landed in my foyer, he hit my foyer, " Minguez said. "It was the most gut-wrenching thing I ever saw."
Minguez said at first, the boy was screaming and crying, but after a short time, the crying changed and his eyes rolled back. That's when Minguez said his training as a police officer kicked in. He said he started CPR, checked for a pulse and called 911.
When EMTs and paramedics arrived, they took over and determined the boy had a pulse, as seen on body camera footage CBS News Philadelphia obtained from Minguez's attorney.
Minguez is seen on camera frantically explaining what happened to first responders and trying to call the boy's mom, Heather Rappa.
The hospital
Rappa's car can be seen on body camera footage pulling up just in time so she can ride in the ambulance with her son to Nemours Children's Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware. Minguez gets in Heather's car and follows behind.
"I felt helpless, to be honest," Rappa said, recalling telling doctors to do anything to help her son. "You want to do what you can to help your kid and you have no idea how to do it."
Rappa and Minguez said ER doctors told them he had a bad concussion with a minor brain bleed and minor swelling.
"He said it's the most common head injury of a toddler," Minguez said.
Once the boy was admitted to the hospital, Rappa said a new team of doctors determined he would need surgery due to brain swelling. The surgery was successful, but the boy stayed in the hospital for nearly two weeks.
To this day, Rappa said she still doesn't know why her son had to stay. She showed CBS News Philadelphia a letter she received weeks later from the insurance company stating that some aspects of the hospital stay were not medically necessary.
"He was literally at the hospital sitting in the hospital bed with nothing hooked up to him," Minguez said.
Child abuse allegations
Minguez and Rappa said everything changed during that hospital stay when investigators started questioning the family about suspected child abuse.
"I thought that day I did the right thing. I called 911," Minguez said.
Prosecutors charged Minguez with aggravated assault on a child and endangering the welfare of a child, citing not just the child's head injury but also other bruises on the boy and an eye injury.
Evidence included recorded statements to police made by doctors at Nemours. CBS News Philadelphia listened to the interviews, which include these statements:
"This kid was beaten by somebody."
"Not typical for accidental trauma. This is disproportionately severe."
"I've been doing this for 20-some years. I would equivocally state that there is zero percent chance that that is what actually happened."
Rappa said she and the boy's father wrote to investigators explaining the bruises were caused by normal playing, bumps and falls.
"The bruises on the knees, like what 2-year-old doesn't fall?" Rappa said.
Charged and indicted
Minguez was still charged and immediately suspended from his job as a police officer.
Over the past year, Minguez said his mental health has deteriorated. His relationship with Rappa fell apart and due to the child abuse investigation by DCF, he wasn't allowed to have contact with the boy.
"I've been seeing a therapist. Depression is an understatement," Minguez said. "There was some dark times, some really, really dark times."
DCF determined child abuse allegations were "not established," as noted in a letter Rappa showed CBS News Philadelphia from the state. A grand jury indicted Minguez in December.
"These are supposed to be the experts of child abuse in our state and they cleared me and yet the police have charged me," Minguez said. "Make that make sense."
Dismissed
This past February, more than a year after the incident, a judge dismissed the case saying the prosecution did not have sufficient evidence to prove injuries were caused by abuse and not an accident.
Minguez's police uniform has been hanging on a door untouched for more than a year. He said he's still waiting on word if he can return to work and trying to piece back together his life.
CBS News Philadelphia reached out to Nemours Children's Hospital. A spokesperson e-mailed:
"Nemours is committed to protecting the personal health information and data of patients in our care, and therefore cannot comment on specific cases. We are committed to following all legal requirements in reporting suspected child abuse."
We asked Nemours what the protocol is when child abuse charges that stemmed from a report by a Nemours doctor are dismissed or dropped. They did not answer that question.
The Salem County Prosecutor's Office said, "In the wake of the court's ruling in this matter, our office would like to re-emphasize that it is our obligation to protect our most vulnerable, without fear or favor. We continue to be proud of the difficult work put in by the officers and prosecutors tasked with handling this case who have done just that. Although we are disappointed in the ruling, we respect the court's decision."
What's next?
Rappa said her son is doing great today and completely back to normal.
Minguez and Rappa said they are now considering suing the hospital for damages.
CBS Philadelphia Investigates
If you have a tip or incident that needs investigating, e-mail us at investigations@CBS3.com.
