Authorities announced Thursday that a 30-year-old Miami woman was taken into custody early on Wednesday morning after police were called to a serious child abuse case involving her 3-year-old son, who was discovered with numerous facial injuries.
When Miami police were called over a potential instance of child abuse and neglect, the incident started shortly after 2:30 a.m.
Authorities were notified by an officer who had first arrived on the site after receiving an anonymous 911 call that a neighbor had claimed to have heard a youngster yelling and sobbing inside an apartment building close to the 1100 block of Northwest Seventh Avenue.
According to authorities, the caller said they heard Genesis Yaelin Pena, 30, threatening to “cut his tongue” and “rip his head off” as he was chatting to the child.
Police claimed they tried to enter the building when they arrived at the apartment complex. According to an arrest report, Pena was still striking the youngster when they received a second 911 call as they attempted to enter.
After a while, officers went upstairs to the flat and heard the youngster sobbing there. According to the complaint, the woman refused to answer the door when a responding officer knocked several times.
Pena allegedly told officers that the sounds were coming from a “fake baby” at one point and persisted in refusing to unlock the door. According to the police, they tried to convince the mother to let them in for more than an hour, but Pena refused to comply.
Investigators confirmed that the scenario changed when Pena’s mother showed up at the site and, following a heated phone call, persuaded her daughter to unlock the door.
Officers reported finding the toddler inside with several obvious wounds, such as facial redness and bruising. As part of the investigation, MPD’s Identification Unit was dispatched to the location to take pictures of the child’s wounds.
The mother and her son were taken to MPD’s Special Victims Unit office at around seven in the morning.
Pena was allegedly informed of her Miranda rights and consented to speak without an attorney present when detectives tried to interrogate her. But because of worries about her mental health, the interview was interrupted. According to her arrest record, police said she was “incoherent” while being questioned.
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The youngster was taken into custody by the Florida Department of Children and Families after being notified, according to the authorities. According to the complaint, the youngster was thereafter taken to the Child Protective Services team for a medical assessment.
Pena faces one count of child abuse without serious bodily harm, according to jail records. She was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Thursday; her bond was still pending.
