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An unauthorized immigrant is facing charges for allegedly biting the face of a 3-year-old girl at a park in Texas, authorities report. Following his arrest, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has issued a detainer for the suspect.
The incident involved 27-year-old Gabriella Perez and her daughter, Amelia, while they were at Espada Park on April 18. San Antonio police claim that 24-year-old Artharva Vyas, an Indian citizen, carried out the attack.
According to police reports, Vyas is accused of assaulting the mother by pulling her hair and punching her, which caused her to drop her daughter. He then allegedly attacked the young girl and bit her on the face.
This case has attracted attention due to the fact that Vyas had previously been arrested for a purported felony assault after entering the U.S. in 2023 but was not deported, as stated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Atharva Vyas, who first came to the U.S. in August 2023 on a student visa, was detained months later on charges of assault. (BCSO)
Witnesses restrained Vyas until officers arrived, according to police.
The child’s mother later described the attack as something “out of a zombie movie.”
Since the attack, Perez created a GoFundMe page, saying her daughter lost two teeth and “has needed constant care, comfort, and reassurance.”
“She is unable to return to daycare or be left with anyone else, so I have had to take time away from work to be by her side,” the page’s description reads.
Vyas was charged with injury to a child with intent to cause bodily injury, assault causing bodily injury, and illegal entry, according to authorities. He was booked into the Bexar County Detention Center.
ICE has lodged a detainer requesting that local authorities transfer Vyas to federal custody after his criminal proceedings, according to DHS.
DHS said Vyas first entered the United States in August 2023 on a student visa. Three months later, he was arrested on the University of Texas campus on charges of felony assault, and university police contacted ICE.
According to DHS, “the Biden Admin determined the crime was not egregious enough to warrant visa revocation and decided to take no enforcement action against Vyas.”
Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis condemned the earlier decision not to revoke Vyas’ visa.
“This criminal illegal alien brutally bit this child and caused her to lose two teeth. This barbaric assault against this woman and her three-year-old in a park was completely preventable,” she said. “The Biden administration NEVER should have released this animal following his arrest for assault. We are working with our partners in Texas to ensure this criminal illegal alien never roams free in American communities again.”
DHS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for additional comment.