A 3-year-old Indianapolis girl is in critical condition after prosecutors say her father and his girlfriend subjected her to repeated abuse, leaving her with a brain bleed and catastrophic injuries.
According to court records, police were called to a home on August 7 after reports that the child had “fallen” and was unresponsive. Officers found the girl soaking wet and covered in bruises.
Her father, Joshua Cajigas, 24, allegedly told officers her body felt “limp, like a rag doll.” His girlfriend, Mellie Jackson, 22, allegedly warned that the child appeared to be in shock, but Cajigas dismissed the signs, calling her “melodramatic.”
The child was transported to a local hospital where doctors documented widespread bruising and internal injuries. Medical staff determined she had suffered a brain bleed and warned of a high risk of death.
Conflicting Accounts and Custody Concerns
Investigators say Cajigas and Jackson gave conflicting explanations, including that a dresser had fallen on the child. Cajigas later admitted to police that he forced his daughter to do “discipline drills” and struck her with a belt for being “disrespectful” and for wetting the bed at night.
Medical experts disputed his claims, noting injuries across the girl’s shins, forearm, biceps, elbows, stomach, forehead, shoulder, and both eyes — far beyond the pattern of typical corporal punishment.
The girl’s biological mother, Lexus Burnette, who lost custody in May, told reporters she had warned the court system about Cajigas’ alleged abusive behavior but said her concerns were ignored.
Criminal Charges Filed
Both Cajigas and Jackson were arrested and charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in catastrophic injury. Cajigas faces additional charges of domestic battery causing serious bodily injury and battery causing serious injury.
The Indiana Department of Child Services has launched an investigation into the case, which is raising broader questions about whether custody determinations and child protection safeguards were adequately followed.
As the child continues to fight for her life in the hospital, the case underscores the intersection of criminal liability, parental rights, and systemic oversight in child protection law.
