NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Police Department arrested the mother of 12-year-old Bryan Vasquez after the missing boy's body was found after 12-day-long search, WWL reports. 

Hilda Vasquez was arrested and charged with second-degree cruelty to juveniles and negligent homicide on Sunday. 

“There has been a pattern of both negligence and abuse over Bryan’s 12 years, and so we believe we can prove that pattern of negligence and abuse led to a severe injury, undue pain and suffering on his part," NOPD Deputy Supt. Nicholas Gernon said during a news conference Sunday.

WWL added that the nonverbal boy had previously been removed from the home as an infant after sustaining injuries, including a skull fracture, broken legs and a collapsed lung, but was later returned by the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services before his death, which investigators said was caused by an alligator attack in New Orleans East.

His body was found on Aug. 26, 12 days after he was reported missing.