BROWARD, Fla. — A Fort Lauderdale woman has been arrested after her girlfriend’s young son was hospitalized with multiple serious injuries, weeks after the child’s mother was taken into custody on a similar charge.
Deniqua Yvonne Lovett, 34, was arrested Sunday on child neglect causing great bodily harm, following an investigation by Miramar Police. The child’s mother, 29-year-old Veronica Ruffin, was arrested on a similar charge on Nov. 24.
According to the arrest affidavit, the boy was brought to Memorial West Hospital on Sept. 4 with swelling to his head and elbow. He was later transferred to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, where medical staff found multiple injuries, including:
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Head abrasions and a burned ear
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Bruising to the lower abdomen
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Elbow, wrist, collarbone, knee, and multiple rib fractures
Ruffin told authorities that Lovett often cared for the child while she was at work. Lovett claimed the injuries were accidental, including a fall from a slide, a previous bed fall, and an ear burn from a hot comb.
Investigators noted that the elbow fracture appeared to have occurred 2–4 days before hospitalization, and several injuries were consistent with non-accidental trauma. The evidence suggested the child had sustained trauma on multiple occasions over several weeks.
The boy, who has a speech delay and expressive language disorder, was discharged from the hospital on Sept. 10 and later placed in the care of his maternal aunt following a shelter hearing.
Lovett was booked into jail with bond set at $100,000. She spoke to NBC6, maintaining her innocence and saying she did not know why she was arrested a month after the mother.
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