South Florida mother accused of chaining 13-year-old daughter to fence in Florida faces child abuse charges

Yashira Marie Maldonado, 34, is facing child abuse and child neglect charges after Hialeah police say she chained her 13-year-old daughter to a fence. (WFOR via CNN Newsource)

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MIAMI, Florida (WFOR) -- A South Florida mother is facing child abuse and child neglect charges after Hialeah police say she chained her 13-year-old daughter to a fence outside a relative’s home and left her there in the summer heat without food, water or shade.

Authorities arrested 34-year-old Yashira Marie Maldonado in connection with the incident, which police say happened Saturday morning, July 11, at a home on West 63rd Street in Hialeah. She has since been released on bond and has been ordered to have no contact with her daughter.

According to investigators, Maldonado drove her daughter from their apartment on West 28th Street to the home of the girl’s great-grandmother. Police say the mother wrapped a metal chain around the child’s waist, secured the other end to the property’s fence and left her there before driving away.

Ring camera video obtained by neighbours captured the mother’s arrival at the residence shortly before 9 a.m. Investigators say the footage shows her leaving after chaining the girl to the fence.

“The defendant drove the victim in a beige Toyota Camry to the witness residence,” the arrest report states. “She wrapped a metal chain around the victim’s waist and tied the other end to the house fence, restricting her from moving around.”

Police said the girl was left with a clear backpack, some clothing and medication.

Hialeah Police Lt. Eddie Rodriquez said a family member, not living in the home, called police.

“Once the father got word of that, he contacted police,” Rodriquez said. “Officers arrived and sure enough found this 13-year-old child tied to the fence.”

According to the arrest report, the child had no protection from the sun and was left without food or water.

“It’s horrible. She left her outside, no shade. Right in the sun,” Rodriguez said. “The heat alone, it’s very sad for what happened to this 13-year-old child.”

Investigators also say a witness received a text message from Maldonado at approximately 9:10 a.m. that read, “I got fired from my job!!!!!!”

Court documents said Maldonado told officers that she knew what she did was wrong and that she needed to take a break from caring for her child.

Neighbours described the allegations as deeply disturbing.

“That’s very disturbing,” one neighbour, who asked not to be identified, told CBS News Miami. “It’s sad. I don’t know what happened in there, but it’s sad.”

Another neighbour, Armando Calzadillo, who lives across the street, said the alleged abuse was unacceptable.

“That is something aberrant. It deserves to be punished,” he said in Spanish. “You don’t do that to a child, especially one with special needs.”

CBS News Miami visited the apartment complex where police say Maldonado and her daughter lived. When a crew knocked on the apartment door and rang the Ring doorbell, an automated response said, “We can’t answer the door now.”

Neighbour Arlene Gomez identified Maldonado from a photograph and said she was shocked by the allegations.

“I’m just dumbfounded about what happened because I never thought that woman would do such a thing,” Gomez said in Spanish.

The 34-year-old now faces charges of child neglect and child abuse. As part of her release conditions, she has been ordered to stay away from her 13-year-old daughter while the criminal case proceeds.

The child’s current condition has not been released, and police have not disclosed who is caring for her following the mother’s arrest.

By Ivan Taylor, Abby Dodge