MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — A 26-year-old Miami-Dade mother is facing multiple child abuse charges after deputies said her 7-month-old son was found with a spinal fracture and broken leg bones while in her care.
The infant was taken to Holtz Children’s Hospital on Dec. 11 for left leg pain. Tests revealed a spinal fracture along with fractures to both the left and right tibia, according to the arrest report.
Deputies said the child lived in a home near the 1300 block of Northwest 79th Street in Gladeview.
Authorities said the child’s mother, Johana Barrera Delgado, initially denied causing the injuries and suggested they may have occurred while the baby was with a family member acting as a babysitter.
On Dec. 17, the babysitter told deputies she had left the baby on a bed with her daughter briefly and, when she returned, heard the baby crying. She admitted she did not know if her daughter had caused the injuries.
The next day, the babysitter met with the MDSO Special Victims Bureau, where authorities said Barrera Delgado instructed her over the phone to “continue with the story” given to deputies and assured her “everything would be OK.” Barrera Delgado also claimed the baby arrived at her home with a swollen left leg and had not been injured while in her care.
Later that day, Barrera Delgado went to the Special Victims Bureau. Investigators said she admitted the baby had fallen off her bed multiple times while in her care. She also admitted to grabbing his left leg and placing his foot in his mouth, the report stated.
Jail records show Barrera Delgado, a Nicaraguan national, is facing one count each of aggravated child abuse causing great bodily harm, child neglect causing great bodily harm, and tampering with a victim or witness.
She was placed on an immigration hold and remained at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Her bond was listed as “to be set” as of Friday morning. She was also ordered to have no contact with the victim and is prohibited from possessing drugs, weapons, or firearms.
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