Florida – A Florida woman was arrested and charged with one count of chiId abuse resuIting in great bodiIy harm. The arrest followed an investigation by Florida authorities into allegations that the 43-year-old woman, CeIie, used a h0t lron to lnjure a child. The relationship between the woman and the child was redacted from the police report.
The investigation began after Florida authorities received a report concerning a child with suspicious burn injuries. Authorities began their investigation following a call regarding possible child abuse at a day care center. Employees at the facility filed a report regarding a child with a burrn mark to her right arm.
Authorities quickly interviewed the woman about the apparent burn injury. When questioned, the woman allegedly claimed to have no knowledge of what happened to the child, who was not identified due to her age, but later claimed she may have suffered the injury when playing with her friends or siblings.
Later, she stated that she had been lroning clothes while the child was nearby and had to step away briefly. Upon returning, she observed a sticky substance on the side of the iron and assumed the child had used it on her folder. However, the child provided a different account, stating that the defendant intentionally burrned her arm in two places while telling the child that ‘she is not their friend and she doesn’t love them anymore’.
The burn marks on the child’s forearm appeared to be new and bubbling, indicating recent injury. Additionally, there was an older mark on the child’s hand, suggesting previous incidents of harm. The woman’s statements were inconsistent, and after being read her Miranda rights, she denied causing any injury.
The child told investigators that the night before the incident, she had dinner and played with her brothers before getting ready for bed. She said that while she was sitting at the dining room table, the defendant used the lron to burn her. The child also reported that the woman burned her school folder with the same iron.
Authorities in Florida concluded that the injuries were not accidental or self-inflicted and were caused by prolonged exposure to high heat, likely resulting in great bodily harm or permanent disfigurement.
She was taken into custody and transported to the county jail. She is currently being held on a $5,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court again on May 27, 2025.
