A Ceres mother of three children was arrested on child abuse charges on Wednesday, July 18 after alleged neglect and the injury of one of the children.

At 8:45 p.m. Officer Jeremy Caron investigated allegations made against Meghan Rubio, 41, of Ceres in the 2500 block of Glasgow Drive. A relative reported that she was neglecting and abusing her children, aged 2, 6 and 11, and leaving them unattended for days on end and makes no contact them. It was reported that Rubio got angry and threw a refrigerator tray at the 11-year-old causing swelling and several scratch marks on the child’s forehead.  

Rubio claims the injury was an accident and the refrigerator tray slipped out of her hand while washing it. Officer Caron did not believe the incident was accidental and placed Rubio under arrest for causing willful harm or injury to a child. He also contacted Stanislaus Superior Court Judge Zeff who granted an emergency protective order protecting the children from Rubio.  The order also granted temporary custody of the children’s grandmother. 

Officer Caron contacted Child Protective Services to report the incident for their follow up.  Rubio was booked.