Mother Threatened to Cut Her Son’s Tongue during Argument; Neighbor Called Police and Rescued Little Boy

A 30-year-old woman from Miami was taken into custody early Wednesday after police investigated a troubling child abuse incident involving her 3-year-old son, who was discovered with several bruises on his face, officials confirmed on Thursday.

At approximately 2:30 a.m., Miami police received a call regarding a potential case of child abuse and neglect.

An officer who first arrived at the scene after an anonymous 911 call reported that a neighbor had heard a child screaming and crying inside an apartment in the vicinity of the 1100 block of Northwest Seventh Avenue.

A report from the caller indicated that 30-year-old Genesis Yaelin Pena was heard making threats to “cut his tongue” and “rip his head off” while talking to the child, as stated by police.

When they reached the apartment complex, authorities reported that they tried to enter the building. While they attempted to gain entry, another emergency call was received, indicating that Pena was continuing to assault the child, as stated in an arrest report.

Officers finally reached the apartment upstairs, where the sound of a boy crying could be heard from within. An officer knocked several times, but the woman did not open the door, according to the report.

At one point, authorities reported that Pena insisted the sounds were from a “fake baby” and kept refusing to open the door.

Police reported that they spent more than an hour trying to convince the mother to allow them entry, but Pena stood her ground.

Things changed when Pena’s mother showed up and, following a tense phone call, persuaded her daughter to open the door, according to investigators.

Upon entering, officers reported finding the toddler with several noticeable injuries, such as bruises and redness on his face. The Identification Unit of the MPD was summoned to the location to capture images of the child’s injuries for the investigation.

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At around 7 a.m., the mother and her son were taken to the Special Victims Unit office of the MPD.

Detectives tried to question Pena, stating that she was informed of her rights and consented to talk without a lawyer present. The interview ended prematurely because of worries regarding her mental well-being. According to her arrest report, police noted that she was “incoherent” during the questioning.

Officials reported that the Florida Department of Children and Families has been informed and has assumed custody of the child. A report indicated that the boy was subsequently taken to the Child Protective Services team for a medical evaluation.

Pena is charged with one count of child abuse, not involving great bodily harm, according to jail records.

As of Thursday, she remains at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, with her bond still undetermined.

Reference: ‘Cut his tongue and rip his head off’: Miami woman accused of abusing 3-year-old son