In the past few months, Commander of the Gang Suppression Unit, ASP Marco Vidal has emerged as one of the most high profile police officers in the department.
Band with that ascendancy has come a good deal of controversy - as he's been maligned in the opposition press - and scrutinized in the mainstream media for the hard-charging operational style his unit has adopted. But tonight, Vidal under scrutiny for something else, completely -it has nothing to do with policing. Vidal is being accused of beating his 7 year old daughter so badly that a doctor classified the injury as harm. His ex-common law wife, Estelita Romero - who is the child's mother wants him charged for it; she made the complaint at the end of May but took her case to the media today because she says nothing has been done.
For background we note that Vidal and his ex share three children, now 10, 9 and 7 years old. They are separated and Vidal lives with his new wife Cheryl Lyn Vidal, the Director of Public Prosecutions. The couple had taken up custody of the children while they were left to live with Romero's grandmother in Roaring Creek - that is, after Estelita went down south to work.
And in late May, the Vidal's disciplined the 7 year old - according to the report, her father beat her with a belt - which is not an uncommon occurrence in this country - in fact it's probably a widespread practice.
But the next day when the child went to her mother's house for lunch - Estelita saw that her daughter couldn't sit properly - and she told us what she observed when she went to see what was the matter.
Estelita Romero, mother
"She had a lot of bruises on the back on her legs and her butt and I had ask her what had happen and she said 'my dad lash me' and I ask why and she said that Cheryl told a lie on me, they said that she open the doll's leg (I don't know if it's a Barbie) and Cheryl told her dad to lash her."
"I hug my daughter because it's sad to see my daughter being lash like that and she started to cry and I told her that it would never happen again. I call him - I got upset and started crying and I told him that I did not like what he did to her. He said that we had to talk and that I can't be taking sides because i know how they are. I said to him that that's not a way to discipline a child and he hang up the phone and I went to the police station and I made a report."
Jules Vasquez
"You made a report and you also got a?"
Estelita Romero, mother
"A medical form from the police and they told me to take it to the doctor and so I went to the hospital and the doctor examine her and they classified the bruises as harm."
Jules Vasquez
"You requested court action?"
Estelita Romero, mother
"Yes I did."
Jules Vasquez
"You wanted him charged?"
Estelita Romero, mother
"Yes."
Jules Vasquez
"And what happen with that?"
Estelita Romero, mother
"Nothing, absolutely nothing. I went to talk to the commissioner but he was really busy, so he had his assistant speak to me and I explain the same thing that I am telling you and he seem really concern and he said that they will look into it. I gave him my number and he said that he will get back to me and it never did happen. They never did get back to me. So that's when I decide like two weeks after to go and see what's happening. When I went in to speak to him, I sad that I am here and I need to know what's happening because I haven't had a feedback on the report I made. He explains to me that the lashing that the child had gotten was justifiable - that her father was disciplining her and I told him that I was not satisfied with hearing that."
Jules Vasquez
"So what do you want to happen now?"
Estelita Romero, mother
"I want action to be taken against Vidal."
Jules Vasquez
"You want him to be criminally charged?"
Estelita Romero, mother
"Yes and I said that to the assistant commissioner, because it's not the first time that my daughter had been lash that way - it's not the first time. But this was the first time that the bruises were that big. That was why I decided to report it."
Jules Vasquez
"How is it you reach the point to say that he have to end up in court for this? How do you reach that point knowing all this publicity and exposure that inevitable your child is going to get."
Estelita Romero, mother
"I know it may seem that way to many people but the truth is that my daughter does not deserve what happen to her no matter what. No matter what she did, no matter if it was true or it was a lie. That was not right. And they are leaving it like that merely because of who he is. That is how I feel because if it was someone else that person would have been arrested something would have been done a long time ago. It's going for a month and there is no action made - none at all. So it makes me feel like I don't have a right - like my daughter does not have a right. He can get away with anything. Should he? No, he is not above the law. That's what I try to tell him. He is not above the law and just like any other civilian something must be done."
The medical form given by a doctor at the Western Regional Hospital states that the child had bruises and several hematomas on both legs and buttock.
We expect to have comment from the Vidal's tomorrow.
