Caretaker arrested, accused of abusing special needs child

SANTA ANA, Calif. (FOX 11 / CNS) - A nurse with 14 years of experience who was hired to be a daily caretaker of a 6-year-old boy in Santa Ana was behind bars on suspicion of abusing the disabled child, police said.

Oscar Gilbert Felix, 54, of Orange, was booked last night on suspicion of felony child abuse, Santa Ana Police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.

The boy's mother called police on Monday to report that a nanny cam caught the nurse hitting and kicking objects at her son last Friday, Bertagna said.

The boy, who has Charge Syndrome, has the mental capacity of a 2-year-old and needs a feeding tube and is hard of hearing, so he needs around-the-clock care, Bertagna said. Felix was hired in August to watch the boy Mondays through Fridays.

"About three weeks ago her child started acting out and became more aggressive toward her, which was a change in personality that was out of the norm," Bertagna said.

The mother called the company that employed the nurse and they said they "were working on it," but when the "child's behavior didn't improve, she got a nanny cam," Bertagna said.

On the video the boy can be seen trying to get the attention of the nurse, who appears preoccupied with texting on a cell phone, Bertagna said. The boy slips out of his lap and knocks over some objects, which appears to anger the nurse, who can be seen striking the boy and kicking objects at him, Bertagna said.

"In the video the nurse spends most of the time texting and he pushes the kid away, throws a backpack at him, knocking him to the ground," Bertagna said.

The nurse allegedly pinched the boy as well, Bertagna said.

During his interview with police, Felix made "incriminating statements," Bertagna said.

Felix has been a licensed nurse for 14 years, so police are concerned there may be other victims, Bertagna said.

Felix was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail, according to Orange County Jail records.