Idaho Trooper Credited with Saving Young Child Suffering From Abuse
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX) An Idaho State Police Trooper is being credited by doctors for saving the life of a child after a traffic stop in north Idaho. On Tuesday, a trooper stopped a Dodge van on Interstate 90 in Shoshone County for an infraction. When the trooper approached the car he found two adults and two young children inside and noticed the adult female had signs of physical trauma on her face as well as noticeable injuries on a 2-year-old in the van. The 2-year-old was taken to Sacred Heart Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in Spokane, Washington with life-threatening injuries that included brain injuries. ISP says the child had numerous signs of severe child abuse and doctors say the trooper should be credited with saving the child's life. A 1-year-old child was also inside the van and was taken to an Idaho hospital for evaluation; ISP did not indicate the child was injured. During the stop the officer also found methamphetamine, marijuana and paraphernalia in the van. The driver, Jorge Gonzalez-Vergel, age 59, was charged with felon in possession of a firearm and trafficking methamphetamine. ISP says Gonzalez-Vergel is not a suspect in the child abuse case being investigated by the Redmond, Washington Police Department.