Austin, TX - Aurelia Gallardo, 24, is a child-abuser. Last Tuesday, Gallardo and her three children were waiting for an Austin city bus when Gallardo lost her temper and, quite possibly, her mind. In full view of witnesses, Gallardo lifted her four year old daughter by her arm so hard that on man said he feared the little girl’s arm would be dislocated. Then, Gallardo threw the child into the city street. Then, this crazy pissed off mother pulled the preschooler back her by her hair and threw the child into a parked vehicle, all the while screaming at the child.
The man told police that Gallardo was yelling, “You are dead to me”at the little girl and calling her names, including “slut”. Because in the maniacal mind of Aurelia Gallardo, a four year old child can, apparently, be a common whore. Which is really scary, and makes me wonder what else has happened to that poor little girl.
When the little girl was thrown into the street, she was nearly hit by a Suburban. Fortunately, the driver was able to brake hard enough to keep the child from being roadkill.
The bus came and Gallardo and her terrified children boarded while the witness was calling 911. Once on the bus, the driver witnessed more abuse as Gallardo was “yelling every four-letter word known” at the little girl. Then Gallardo screamed at her daughter that “CPS would take her away and that no one would want her.”
Well, she got the CPS part right, anyway.
Police stopped the city bus in transit - yay, good cops! - and took Gallardo and her children off the bus. While Gallardo was arrested, her three children were in fact taken into CPS care and are in protective custody. I really hope that their new foster parents will make sure to let all three children know that they are wanted, that they have done nothing wrong. I hope they let her know she’s not all the things her mommy said she was.
People, if you can’t handle your kids, there is no shame in giving them to someone who can. I have no doubt that poverty and the sheer need for a bus in the city with three kids is a nightmare of a day. I know parents sometimes lose control. It’s not child abuse to be frazzled and stressed, even angry with your child. But Aurelia Gallardo went over the line - way over.
Aurelia Gallardo was arrested on a felony charge of child endangerment. If convicted, Gallardos could face 20 years in a Texas state jail. She is currently being held on $25,000 bond.