Florida authorities reported that a mother resorted to using makeup to conceal the bruises around her son’s eyes prior to his tragic death resulting from repeated abuse. A 36-year-old woman has been charged with first-degree murder while engaged in aggravated child abuse, according to a news release from the Tampa Police Department on July 2.
The individual was swiftly transported to a hospital by Tampa Fire Rescue, where authorities later confirmed his passing just before 6 a.m. According to the police, the woman reported that her child experienced difficulty breathing and coughing while eating potato chips. She immediately dialed 911 and began performing CPR on him until the first responders arrived.
According to the police, the mother reported that her son had an accident at a park a few days ago, resulting in a swollen head. She mentioned that he has been experiencing sluggishness and wheezing since then. However, the medical examiner discovered signs of mistreatment and determined that the child’s cause of death was due to severe injuries to his head and torso. The boy had a substance that was covering the discoloration around his eyes, along with a brain bleed, abrasions, and other injuries, according to officials.
Investigators have reported that one of the woman’s two other sons living at the home has stated that his mother repeatedly beat the 4-year-old, almost rendering him unconscious, in the days before his tragic death.
According to court documents, a child expressed their hesitation in being completely honest, as they were concerned about their mother’s potential legal consequences.
Following her arrest on July 1, the mother admitted to investigators that she had disciplined her son by using a shoe, resulting in him hitting his head on the wall. To conceal the bruises around his eyes, she then applied tinted sunscreen, according to the Miami Herald.
“This is an appalling crime,” stated Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw in the news release. It is crucial for every child to have a sense of safety and security, particularly within the comfort of their own home and with their own mother.