Pawtucket Man Charged with First Degree Child Abuse

NEWPORT, RI — Alexander Arcila, 26, of Pawtucket, was charged with first degree child abuse and child cruelty or neglect, according to Newport police. He was arrested on Feb. 15 at 11:30 a.m. at his girl friend's Festival Field apartment. According to the arrest records, police found Arcila hiding under a pile of clothes in a bedroom closet. The child's mother had told police she warned him law enforcement would be involved. She advised police he was probably on his way back to Pawtucket.

Police were called to the Newport Hospital after the child's mother and biological father brought their 3-year-old son to the emergency room. Nurses showed police red marks on the child's back. These marks would be consistent with child abuse, police allege. They also saw red marks on the right side of the child's face and noted he had a swollen lip.

The mother told police she asked her child what happened. He said, "Alex did it." Arcila was taking care of her son while she worked the night shift at the Gulf service station. She confronted him. He did not deny it, she told police.

The biological father threatened to "go get" Arcila, police said, so an officer was sent to Festival Field to keep the peace.