A mother from Hialeah, Florida, was arrested on Saturday, July 11, after being accused of chaining her 13-year-old daughter -who has special needs- to the outdoor fence of a home, leaving her exposed to the sun without water, food, or shade for nearly an hour.
The accused is Yashira Marie Maldonado, 34 years old, who faces two felony charges: child abuse and child neglect without serious bodily harm, according to the arrest report cited by the local press.
What the surveillance cameras show
Images captured by Ring security cameras documented the exact moment of the incident.
Maldonado arrived in a beige Toyota Camry around 9:05 in the morning at the home of the minor's great-grandmother, located at 355 West 63rd Street.
The police report describes what happened: "The accused placed a metal chain around the victim's waist and tied the other end to the fence of the house, restricting her ability to move."
After chaining the girl, Maldonado -whose nationality has not been revealed- got into his vehicle and left the scene.
The cameras captured the minor moving back and forth, trying unsuccessfully to free herself.
The text message and the series of calls
Minutes later, around 9:10 in the morning, Maldonado sent a message to his great-grandmother that said: "I was fired from my job!!!!!!"
The great-grandmother peeked out the window, saw the chained teenager, went outside, and tried to free her, but she couldn’t.
According to the report from Telemundo 51, the great-grandmother did not call the police for fear that her landlord would evict her, and instead contacted her own daughter -Maldonado's mother- who went to the accused's apartment to beg her to return.
Maldonado did not answer the door.
It was Maldonado's mother who ultimately alerted the authorities.
The police arrived around 10:00 in the morning and found the minor still chained, although in good health.
Next to the girl was a backpack with some clothes and her medications, but the report is clear:
"The accused left the victim outside without protection from the sun and without food or water."
The defendant's statement and the neighborhood's reaction
According to sources from Univision, Maldonado admitted to detectives that she felt overwhelmed by taking care of her daughter after losing her job and that she needed to rest.
The case has shocked the neighborhood.
Armando Calzadillo, a neighbor across from the residence where the incident occurred, was straightforward: "That's something abhorrent. It deserves to be punished. You don't do that to a child, especially one with special needs."
Another neighbor, Arlene Gómez, who identified Maldonado from a photograph, expressed her disbelief: "I'm shocked by what happened because I never thought that woman would do something like that."
Charges, bail, and current situation
Maldonado faces two third-degree felony charges under Florida law, each carrying a penalty of up to five years in prison.
The bail was set at 10,000 dollars and, as of this Monday, July 13, it was no longer listed in the records of the Miami-Dade County jail.
As a condition of his freedom, he was ordered not to have any contact with his daughter while the criminal proceedings are ongoing.
The current status of the minor has not been disclosed, and authorities have not informed who is in charge of her care.
The incident occurred during a heatwave in southern Florida, at a time when temperatures in July reach between 92 and 94 °F, with a heat index of up to 110 °F, according to active warnings from the National Weather Service.
The case arises just days after Florida unveiled a package of over 87 new criminal laws that toughen penalties for crimes against minors.
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