Miami Mom Stabs Teen Son With a Fork Over Phone Bill, Says It Was Self-Defense

Domestic disputes can escalate quickly. On Thursday morning in Miami-Dade, a mother stabbed her teenage son behind the ear with a fork after an argument over his school tardiness and an overdue phone bill spiraled out of control. When first responders arrived, they found the 19-year-old bleeding and the mother insisting she acted in self-defense.

WPLG Local 10 reported that the incident happened around 8:15 a.m. at a home near Northwest 72nd Street, just a few miles from Downtown Miami. Authorities say 39-year-old Leticia Puentes had been arguing with her son about two ongoing problems: being late for school and a phone bill that was past due. Deputies said the teen became upset during the argument and began throwing items around the house, escalating the situation.

First responders found the teen with a puncture wound behind his right ear, consistent with being stabbed by a fork — a utensil not usually viewed as a dangerous weapon, but one that can still cause injury. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue treated him at the home. Although the injury wasn’t life-threatening, Puentes was taken into custody immediately.

Puentes admitted to stabbing her son but insisted she acted in self-defense.

According to the arrest report, the struggle led both of them to the floor. Puentes told deputies she grabbed the nearest utensil amid the chaos and jabbed her son to protect herself.

Authorities didn’t accept the explanation. Puentes was arrested and booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. She faces a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and was held on a $3,000 bond Friday morning, according to Miami-Dade County jail records. The teen remained at home after receiving treatment, likely processing the fact that he’d just been stabbed with something typically used at the dinner table.

Neighbors didn’t witness the confrontation, and the timing suggests it wasn’t a long-running fight.

Domestic violence cases often follow a similar pattern: a routine disagreement intensifies, someone reacts impulsively, and an everyday object becomes a weapon. This case stands out because it involves a mother and her child. It will now move through the Miami-Dade court system, where Puentes’ self-defense claim will be examined.

A reminder to step away from a heated family argument before things escalate to the point where someone reaches for a utensil.

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