DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines couple has been arrested for alleged abuse and neglect of two of the children in their home after police say they withheld food – leading to one of the children being diagnosed with chronic malnutrition.
Felipe Saldana, 35, and Isabel Saldana Valdez, 36, are each charged with two counts of neglect or abandonment of dependent person, two counts of child endangerment-serious injury, and two counts of child endangerment.
Saldana was booked into the Polk County Jail early Wednesday morning and has already bonded out. Saldana Valdez was booked into the Polk County Jail shortly before 1:00 a.m. Thursday.
According to online court documents, the pair is accused of abusing two of Saldana’s biological children, ages 12 and 14, over a two-year period. Saldana Valdez is the children’s stepmother and adopted them in 2022.
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A search warrant application filed in June 2024 for the family’s home in the 2600 block of Madison Avenue revealed the Iowa Department of Health & Human Services reported concerns about abuse/neglect of the children to the Des Moines Police Department. It said there were other children in the home, but they were allowed to attend public school while the alleged victims were home-schooled.