On January 15, 2026 Carver County Deputies were made aware of a malicious punishment of a child believed to have occurred around January 14, 2026. The juvenile victim [NAME REDACTED]C. (birth year 2013), age 12, lives in Watertown, Carver County. A report indicated A. B. C. Was absent from school on January 14, 2026. When an inquiry was made the next day about his absence A. B. C. Stated his arm was broken because his stepmother Vivian Denisse Marquez Ruiz (2-5-2000), hereinafter Defendant, had 'broken' it and hit him with a broom.
A. B. C. Reported he was hit by a broom for not putting away his blanket. Two bruises were observed on A. B. C.'s arm, one on his wrist and one halfway up his right forearm. The bruises were black/blue in color and slightly raised. There were small abrasions and scratches near his right elbow. A. B. C. Reported Defendant used pliers to pinch and twist his skin. During a recorded interview A. B. C. Stated he lives with his dad and stepmother and brother in Watertown and is in 7th grade. A. B. C. Stated his mother lives in South Carolina.
A. B. C. Stated he was hit yesterday night by his stepmother. He stated he was hit on his head above his ear when asked to take the garbage out by Defendant. A Deputy asked A. B. C. About his arms. A. B. C. Lifted his sweatshirt and showed the bruising on his right forearm and upper arm. There was two circular marks and several small abrasions. The circular marks were symmetrical and about one inch apart. When asked about them A. B. C. Stated "that is from the pliers" and stated Defendant poked him with pliers used for cutting wires.
A. B. C. Stated they were black handled and inside the residence by the washing machine. A. B. C. Stated it happened the previous evening. A. B. C. Stated the other marks were from Defendant's fingernails. Deputies obtained a search warrant for the residence and located needle nose pliers with a black and gray handle inside the residence and a black broom in the kids' bedroom. Defendant was arrested. Defendant is on probation for a prior Malicious Punishment case from 2023 where she was convicted in Dakota County 19HA-CR-24-622 on June 17, 2025. Defendant stated she is the stepmother to A. B. C. Who has some "issues." Defendant stated he makes up lies and eats too much food.
Defendant stated she uses physical discipline and has shaken A. B. C., held him down, and restrained him. Defendant stated during a verbal confrontation on January 11 or 12 A. B. C. And his father were yelling. Defendant stated the father was getting increasingly upset during the confrontation and that A. B. C. Attempted to hit his father. Defendant stated she was forced to physically intervene because she believed the father would retaliate. Defendant stated she grabbed A. B. C. And pushed him down on the bed and said "if you raise hands at your father again I'm going to cut your hands off." Defendant stated she wanted to scare A. B. C. Defendant stated she held A. B. C. Down by his forearms.
