'Frightened' 4-Year-Old Found Alone With 'Substantial Injuries,' Parents Arrested: Police

SPRING VALLEY, NY — A horrific child abuse case has led to the arrest of both parents, according to police in Rockland County.

The Spring Valley Police Department says that on Wednesday, around 9:38 a.m., an officer was flagged down by a Spring Valley Department of Public Works employee in the area of Chestnut Street and Furman Place due to an unattended four-year-old child.

Police say that the child was found to have "substantial injuries" and seemed frightened. Officers were able to locate the child's residence but were not able to find a parent or guardian. The child was taken to Westchester Medical Center for medical treatment.

After the case was turned over to detectives for further investigation, the child's parents were later found.

An investigation determined that the child's father, 36-year-old Paolo Chacaguasay-Evas, of Spring Valley, physically assaulted his 4-year-old child and then left the child home alone. Detectives also found that the child's mother, 35-year-old Delia Yuquilema-Cepeda, of Spring Valley, had also left the child home alone.

Chacaguasay-Evas was arrested and charged with second-degree assault; fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon; second-degree reckless endangerment; and endangering the welfare of a child. He was arraigned in the Village of Spring Valley Justice Court, with bail set at $2,500 cash, $10,000 bond, or a $30,000 partially secured bond. Chacaguasay Evas was then transferred to the Rockland County Jail.

Yuquilema-Cepeda was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child, and was released on a desk appearance ticket.

The Spring Valley Police Department thanked the Rockland County Sheriff's Office Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Rockland County Child Protective Services for their assistance in the investigation.