Santa Barbara child abuse defendant released on $1 million bail

SANTA BARBARA – Child abuse defendant Sylvia Jovanna Vasquez is free on bail after a judge lowered her bail despite her violation of a court order banning her from communicating with the alleged victims.

Superior Court Judge Joseph Lodge had raised her bail to $5 million Tuesday and ordered Vasquez jailed after she allegedly smuggled a letter Feb. 24 to her 13-year-old adopted son.

Her bail was lowered to $1 million after a bail hearing Thursday in which she apologized to the court.

The judge said he felt that she was apologetic for writing the letter and Vasquez, 50, was released a few hours after the judge's decision.

On Feb. 6, the judge had ordered Vasquez not to contact or communicate with the alleged victims – her four adopted children, ages 6 to 13 – or any witnesses in the case.

Vasquez was arrested Jan. 6 after investigators allegedly found evidence she had locked two of her adopted children in small, cage-like quarters and confined a third to a filthy room in the lower floor of her Foothill Road home. She also allegedly repeatedly injected one of the children with a puberty-blocking drug.

Authorities also shut down the day care business she operated for years in the upper portion of the house.

She has pleaded not guilty to four felony counts of child abuse. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 24.

All four children are under the protection of the Child Welfare Services agency.