The mother and stepfather of a 10-year-old are facing charges after she reportedly had her hand burned on a stovetop as a form of punishment.
On April 19, a young girl and her brother were at their Biscayne Gardens, Florida, home with their stepdad, who was taking care of them while their mom was at work. The child pushed her sibling, and their stepdad reportedly forced her into the kitchen and made her hold her hand on a hot, coiled burner on the stovetop to punish her. After she got away from the 42-year-old man, the injured girl reportedly called her mother to tell her what happened. The woman allegedly did not try to help her, and the child was reportedly not taken for medical treatment.
When the child returned to school on Monday, her teacher saw that her hand was badly burned, and the girl told her that her stepfather had hurt her. The school notified the authorities about the situation, and an investigation was opened. Deputies from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office went to the family’s residence, where they found the parents.
They were both taken into custody and questioned at the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Intracoastal Station before being booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. The girl’s stepfather, who chose not to talk to the police without an attorney, is facing a preliminary charge of aggravated child abuse causing great bodily harm, and he was being held in lieu of a $7,500 bond. Her mother, who was jailed on a $1,500 bond, is facing multiple charges, including child neglect causing great bodily harm, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, and resisting with violence. It was reported that she maintains that she is innocent of the accusations.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a domestic violence offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.