Mom of child killed by alligator recently gave birth to newborn with cocaine in system, prosecutors say

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE/Gray News) – The mother of a 12-year-old boy who was killed by an alligator in August also had a newborn that tested positive for cocaine in July, officials said.

Bryan Vasquez, 12, was found dead in a New Orleans East lagoon last month.

The Orleans Parish Coroner’s office determined the boy was attacked and drowned by an alligator after wandering out of his home unsupervised.

Police arrested his mother, Hilda Vasquez, on counts of negligent homicide and second-degree cruelty to juveniles for the death of her son.

In court Monday, the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office revealed that Vasquez and her newborn both tested positive for cocaine in July.

Prosecutors argued that Vasquez is a danger to the community.

Vasquez was ordered to be held without bond, exactly one week after she was ordered to stay away from her three living children.

Vasquez was previously convicted of cruelty to juveniles in 2014 when prosecutors say she caused a traumatic brain injury to Bryan when he was just 3 months old.

Vasquez had two past Department of Children and Family Services cases open against her in connection with alleged child abuse and lack of supervision. Two additional DCFS cases remain open: one for Bryan’s death and the other for her newborn having cocaine in its system.