TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

The story of a Bakersfield boy who had one eye savagely bitten out was bizarre enough and sad enough to travel around the world.

Readers from as far away as England and as close as next door have reached out to provide a brighter future for the boy whose life has been darkened by blindness and betrayal.

The boy's father, Angelo Vidal Mendoza, 34, is facing criminal charges in the attack on his son.

But gaining insight into the medical and emotional outlook for 4-year-old Angelo Mendoza Jr. has been difficult as very little information has been released by officials charged with his care.

In an effort to explore the question of Angelo's future, some of Bakersfield's most experienced medical and mental health professionals agreed to speak in general terms about this disturbing and heartbreaking case.

Dr. Maureen Martin

This longtime trauma surgeon and chairman of surgery at Kern Medical Center said saving even a portion of Angelo's eyesight would have been a priority for any emergency room physician.

According to police reports, the treating physician told investigators that little Angelo's left eye had been "fully ruptured" to the point that he would have total loss of vision in that eye.

The condition of the right eye was less clear. An eye specialist who later treated Angelo told police that while the left eye and eye muscles were "completely gone," the chances of retaining sight in the remaining eye were "poor."

"The big issue for this child is whether the eye globe is intact," Martin said.

But even if it is, damage to the cornea or optic nerve could still mean bad news.

Nevertheless, retaining some vision is preferable to complete vision loss, she said, even if the remaining vision is severely limited.

In dealing with the missing left eye, Martin said glass or prosthetic eyes are available for children. If the muscle tissue around the left eye was removed by the bite, reconstructive surgery will likely be necessary to rebuild the soft tissue "to allow the eye and the socket to look more normal."

But amazing work has been performed in recent years to help victims of facial trauma, she said.

Dr. Jay Fisher

After working for many years in Bakersfield as a practicing child, adolescent and adult psychologist, Fisher has seen a lot.

But even he was shocked by the "horrific" nature of the attack on little Angelo. And the fact that the attack allegedly came from a trusted family member makes the emotional trauma even more difficult to overcome for the victim.

"So the question is, can he recover from such a violent attack?" Fisher said. "I would say it would be problematic."

An attack by a loved one that leaves permanent damage "really undercuts a child's trust in the world around him," Fisher said.

Angelo should be receiving therapy from a trained mental health professional, Fisher said. "We cannot wait until he manifests symptoms."

Blindness would almost surely make Angelo's emotional recovery that much harder. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder could cause someone in his place to become hyper alert and easily startled, Fisher said.

He may draw away from people -- or it may become difficult for him to express emotions or establish emotional relationships with others," Fisher added.

Trauma of this extent is hard to process, even for an adult, he said. But a child's mind is not fully formed, making abstract concepts difficult or impossible to understand.

"Words only go so far," he said.

Angelo needs "a special kind of parenting," Fisher said. "He needs to be safe, reassured and given the tenderest love possible.

And his caregivers must be aware of all of this and more.

A young victim of such violence may withdraw or he may act out, Fisher said. But his caregivers must respond with sympathy and assurance -- and he must receive professional guidance.

Russ Sempell

A family therapist and president of the Kern chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Sempell said Angelo's tender age may give him a slight advantage in recovering from this incident.

There are certainly exceptions, but most people don't have a lot of memories before age 4 or 5, Sempell said. Unfortunately, Angelo may be subject to follow-up surgeries and medical care for years to come that could have the effect of highlighting those memories.

If Angelo is indeed blinded, most of his immediate focus will be on learning to live without sight.

Simple tasks such as moving about your living space, getting dressed or getting in and out of a car will have to be relearned.

He may never learn to ride a bike.

"These are huge issues," Sempell said. "If he is totally blind, his focus is going to be how will I move, eat, get around. These are basic survival skills.

How does one survive such a bizarre and cruel event with one's humanity intact?

Like Fisher, Sempell is sure Angelo will need tender care and nurturing from his caregivers -- and those caregivers may need some training.

Sempell said he wouldn't be surprised to learn that Angelo was experiencing nightmares or even flashbacks featuring images from the attack.

"You don't want to go digging for them," he said. "But you want to be available to tenderly talk about it if it comes up."

Angelo should be given the words to explain his father's actions so he does not blame himself or think of what happened was some kind of parental punishment.

"It just breaks your heart," Sempell said of the boy.

All three of our professionals agreed with that diagnosis.