BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — A 4-year-old boy was found suffering from severe injuries to his eyes and hands when police were called to a disturbance at an apartment in southeast Bakersfield late last month.

The investigation led officers a few blocks away to East Terrace Way where they arrested the boy's father, 35-year-old Angelo Mendoza.

Court documents filed since the April 28 incident have shed light on the alleged abuse of Angelo Mendoza Jr., who was reportedly found lying naked on the floor of an Ohio Drive apartment with one eye missing and the other eye damaged badly.

The boy had told officers that, "My daddy ate my eyes," and, "Daddy bit my eyes and hands," according to a police report filed with the court.

More than 20 prior criminal cases can be found for the father in court records, including a no contest plea in April 2006 on misdemeanor willful cruelty to a child. He was placed on probation at that time.

Mendoza was charged with felony counts of aggravated mayhem, torture, willful cruelty to a child and inflicting injury upon a child for last month's alleged attack.

Mendoza had custody of the boy at the time, but the boy's mother was partially a witness to the incident. She said Friday that she was delivering pizza to the apartment when she heard her son screaming for help and decided to leave.

"My son was just crying, 'Mommy, mommy, I want to go with you. I'm scared,'" said the boy's mother, who called herself Desirae but would only speak on condition that her last name not be used. "(I'm) just like 'Should I take him or leave him?'"

Desirae said she left, thinking the boy was safe with his father.

The father reportedly struck himself in the ankle and foot area with an ax. He's currently listed in stable condition at Kern Medical Center.

The boy is staying with his mother's sister in foster care. His mother said the boy is doing well.