A Florida mother is facing criminal charges for allegedly battering her 9-year-old son during an argument over homework.
Martha Ciguenas, 44, was arrested Monday and charged with aggravated child abuse for an April 4 incident involving her son. Ciguenas is accused of striking the boy in the head with a glass candle holder and metal meat tenderizer after he didn’t tell her about additional homework he was assigned during spring break, according to WTVJ.
Ciguenas allegedly also used the tenderizer to strike her son on his arm. At one point, she threw a cell phone and water bottle at him but missed, according to the news station.
Authorities said the boy suffered head and arm lacerations from the spiked meat tenderizer. The tenderizer reportedly left spike marks and indentations on his arm that were bleeding.
While Ciguenas reportedly denied intentionally hitting her son, a medical examination determined his injuries were consistent with child abuse.
Ciguenas remained jailed on $5,000 bond as of Tuesday. With a restraining order in place, WFOR reported that a hearing is scheduled in dependency court to determine custody and visitation because Ciguenas is a widow.
[Featured image: Martha Ciguenas/Police handout]
