ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- An Odessa man was arrested late last week after investigators said he allegedly lied about an intruder after a toddler was injured by bullet fragments. Malik Valdez, 23, has been charged with Injury to a Child, Filing a False Report, and Possession of Marijuana. 

According to an Odessa Police Department report, on August 25, officers were called to a home on Blue Drive to assist with a medical call. At the scene, investigators met with Valdez who said a one-year-old child had been injured after a man wearing a ski-mask had walked into his home brandishing a weapon. Valdez said he approached the intruder in the doorway and a physical scuffle ensued; during that alleged interaction, Valdez said the firearm discharged and the intruder ran. That’s when Valdez reportedly noticed the toddler had been injured. The child was taken to Medical Center Hospital for treatment and was said to have only minor injuries. 

During the investigation, officers said Valdez’s story “was not adding up” and that the trajectory of the bullet showed the gun had been fired from the couch. When asked, Valdez reportedly admitted that a friend had come to his home to show him a firearm and that there had never been an intruder. 

Valdez was arrested and taken to the Ector County Law Enforcement Center where he was released on a combined $11,500 bond.