By admin 
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A 26-year-old Phoenix man is facing eight felony charges after a 15-year-old girl was hospitalized with more than 50 documented injuries, according to court records.
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David Ruvalcaba is accused of beating and strangling the victim, who investigators say had been living with him for more than a year.
Abuse allegedly began when the victim was a sophomore
Court records allege the abuse began more than a year ago, when the victim was a sophomore in high school.
Ruvalcaba, who is roughly 10 years older than the victim, met her through mutual friends, according to court documents.
She eventually moved into his apartment off Cave Creek Road in north Phoenix.
Documents show Ruvalcaba did not want the victim to work, describing her role as “basically a housewife.”
Court records also allege he told the victim he was already in love with her — so he “might as well keep her.”
Victim hospitalized with more than 50 injuries
The abuse allegedly escalated in late July. The victim was taken to Banner Thunderbird Medical Center, where a forensic nurse documented more than 50 injuries, including bruises on nearly every part of her body and signs of strangulation.
Advocate: “Nobody was looking out for her”
Stacy Vaughan, vice president of growth and prevention at Childhelp, said the case raises serious questions about community awareness.
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“I think the biggest thing is how did no one notice this for over a year?” Vaughan said. “Was she not enrolled in school? Did she just, like, all of a sudden stop going to school? Nobody was looking out for her at 15, even friends or neighbors in the apartment complex.”
Vaughan said isolation is a key factor in cases like this one.
“He isolated her clearly away from people, which also contributes to the dynamics at play here,” she said. “There’s a huge power imbalance in these kinds of relationships and situations. And I’m sure there was a lot of grooming, a lot of manipulation.”
Warning signs and what to do
Vaughan said the age gap in this case is a significant risk factor.
“Like this particular situation where there was a 10-year age difference, violence is much more likely,” she said.
Warning signs to watch for include sudden changes in behavior, withdrawal from friends and family and falling behind in school. Vaughan said community members should not let discomfort prevent them from speaking up.
“We need to be alert and aware and we need to ask questions,” Vaughan said. “They may be defensive and that’s okay. And honestly, to me, that would be more of a red flag if they were defensive.”
If you or someone you know needs help:
- Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-422-4453, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at childhelp.org.
- National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or chat online at rainn.org.
- National Center for Missing & Exploited Children CyberTipline: To report online exploitation of a child, visit cybertipline.org or call 1-800-843-5678.
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