Meliza Campos Sánchez, a 26-year-old Cuban who presented herself on Instagram as the "Realtor without filters," was arrested in Miami-Dade on Monday, August 17, following an incident that went viral on social media and resulted in charges of arson, child abuse, and negligence, as reported by Univision Miami.
The victims are his own daughters, aged three and six, who were present in the house at the time of the incident.
The video that became evidence
It all started with a video that the defendant herself posted on her Instagram account, which the authorities cited in the arrest report as key evidence.
In the images, Campos Sánchez pours hot wax from a lit candle onto the hand of one of his daughters while telling her not to be afraid. The other girl refused to bring her hands near the flame.
The exchange was recorded in the mother's own words: "The fears you are feeling today will be your strength tomorrow. Because you are my daughter, okay?"
When one of the girls tried to move away, Campos Sánchez insisted: “You can't be afraid! Promise me that you won't fear anything. Anything.”
The girl's response was straightforward: "That burns." Before the video ended, the mother declared: "Nothing and no one touches you."
The video went viral and raised alarms among its followers, who called for someone to intervene before something worse happened.
The girls' father, Yusniel Cue —who stated that he had been separated from Meliza for about a week— received from the accused's friends the video of the hot wax and called the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office for assistance, according to the report from Telemundo 51.
The fire in the kitchen
The profile of Campos Sánchez, where he stated he helped "women build wealth and confidence," contrasts with the posts made in the days leading up to his arrest, which reflected a turbulent emotional state.
On Sunday, August 16, Miami-Dade firefighters responded to a kitchen fire at the residence located at 4271 Southwest 95th Avenue.
According to the police report, Campos Sánchez used a red stick lighter to deliberately set fire to a garment that he had sprayed with a flammable liquid, while his daughters remained inside the house.
The video published on that occasion was completely unruly. Given the nature of the images, we have decided to refrain from reproducing it.
In that post, she lashed out at her ex-partner and several people in her circle.
“As you know, since I am alone here, you have joined forces with my enemies. With Denise, with my broker, and with my former mentors from Herbalife. They will not win. Not even with all the money in the world,” she wrote.
Directly addressing Cue, he wrote: “I will be your dad and your mom” and concluded with another statement: “I have children that no one will care for like I do.”
Campos Sánchez is facing a charge of first-degree arson, one of child abuse, and two counts of child neglect without serious bodily injury.
Detained without bail and subject to immigration hold
Before being incarcerated, Campos Sánchez was taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation under the Baker Act of Florida, a law that permits the involuntary hospitalization of individuals who may pose a danger to themselves or others.
A judge ordered that she remain in detention without bail. Her record also shows a immigration hold.
Campos Sánchez was transferred to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center (TGK) in Miami, with a public defender assigned. The girls remain in the custody of their father.
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