A Pembroke Pines, Florida, woman was booked into jail on Monday after police arrested her for allegedly burning her 9-year-old son with a hot clothes iron.
CBS Miami reports that Tamecha Jean, 32, was arrested in Broward County on child abuse charges. She’s accused of burning her son twice on his chest with the tip of the iron and the edge of the iron, after he forgot to bring his paperwork to school. Jean allegedly told police that she was holding the iron while spanking him, and that the burns were unintentional. Capt. Al Xiques with the Pembroke Pines Police Department didn’t buy her story.
“It’s just outrageous to use a hot iron as a type of punishment. It seems more like a type of torture…Maybe she accidental burned him twice while trying to spank him with a belt.”
The incident happened in February, but was called into the Child Abuse hotline only a few days ago. It’s unclear who reported the incident. When authorities saw the little boy, he still had two scars on his chest.
Prosecutor Eric Linder also had issues with Jean’s story. During Jean’s court hearing at a Broward County courthouse, he requested a $20,000 bond, given the severity of the alleged child abuse.
“I’m sorry, the violence alleged in this case is just so aggravating that it completely outweighs any mitigating factors, your honor. I’m going to be requesting a $20 thousand bond.”
Yet, Judge Christopher Pole disagreed. He decided to release Jean on her own recognizance, given that she have no contact with her family and wear an ankle monitor.
“What I’m going to do is, I’m going to release her ROR to Level 2 pre-trial, released with a monitor. I’m going to ask pre-trial to wave the cost of a pre-trial monitor. She is to have no contact in any form or manner with her three children until further order of the family court division.”
During a second hearing in family court, she was given rights to supervised visits with her two other children, but denied any contact with the boy she reportedly burned. According to the prosecutor, the boy is afraid of his mother.
The story is still developing. Check back with Crime Online as additional details become available.
[Feature Photo: Broward County Police Department]
