This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.
From Homestead, Florida, “Magdalena Matias-Pedro, 23, was arrested Tuesday [March 6, 2012 from incidents dating back to May 2011] on child abuse charges on her 9-year-old sister, according to a Homestead Police report.”
Magdalena took custody of her siblings when her parents died in 2008.
“According to the report, on May 3, 2011, officers responded to a call referencing child abuse from a counselor at Redondo Elementary.
The counselor told police the girl said her sister cut her hands for not following directions, and that she had contacted the Florida Department of Children and Families, who advised her not to release the girl until they’d arrived, the report said.
The school nurse treated the girl’s hand which was bleeding and advised the counselor she needed stitches.
On May 4, the girl was brought in to be examined by officials. They noted that the girl told them she had been cut with a knife that was bought at Sedanos, hit with the knife’s brown handle, scratched on her face, and hit with a spoon, the report said.
Officials observed patches of her hair cut off with scissors on the side of her head, bruises and scratches on her cheek, marks on her wrists and cuts on her hands, the arrest affidavit reported.
The girl told officials that her sister cut her hands with a steak knife because she thought she stole three dollars from her bag, but it was at the bottom of the bag.
Matias-Pedro, who was given custody of her siblings in 2008 when their parents died, was reported to have no mental health problems, but admitted to having anger issues, the report said.
The report said Matias-Pedro also admitted to slicing the girl’s hands, another time cutting into her cheeks with her nails, and cutting her hair because it was entangled, and had no other way to remove it.
Matias-Pedro was in court Wednesday where she was ordered held on $50,000 bond by Judge Dava Tunis, and was ordered that she have no contact whatsoever, directly or indirectly, without any visitations allowed unless ordered by some other court.
The 9-year-old-girl was reported to have been attending therapy sessions and in the process of being adopted.”
Homestead Woman Charged with Child Abuse on Younger Sister
[NBC Miami 3/8/12 by Patricia Tirone]
REFORM Puzzle Piece
Many questions remain. When was this child removed from Magdalena’s care? Why is the arrest so many months after the allegations? Were the other siblings ALSO removed from her care? Where are the other siblings? Why is only the girl being adopted and/or are the siblings separated and why?
Update/March 5, 2013
No other media stories could be found. A search of public Miami-Dade county court records finds that on October 15, 2012 she was convicted of one count of felony child abuse and sentenced to probation with special conditions.
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