A 27-year-old Miami woman is facing a child abuse charge after authorities say she struck her 7-year-old son with a belt, leaving visible bruises on his face and body in what investigators describe as a troubling Florida child abuse case.
Kelly Michel was arrested this week and charged with one count of child abuse without great bodily harm, according to the Miami Police Department. The allegations stem from an incident that unfolded after the child returned home from school on Tuesday.
According to a criminal complaint and arrest affidavit, the case first came to light when a Department of Children and Families investigator connected the boy with a case coordinator at the University of Miami Child Protection Team. The coordinator then relayed the information to law enforcement.
“The victim disclosed that his classmate fell at school, and he kissed him on the cheek in the hopes of him feeling better,” a police officer wrote in the affidavit. “Some of the students told the teacher, then the teacher informed the victim’s parents.”
Police allege that after learning of the classroom incident, Michel used a belt to discipline her son.
“The victim told [the Child Protective Team] that the defendant hit him on his face with a belt,” the affidavit goes on. “The victim urinated on himself as he disclosed [the incident] to them.”
Child welfare officials reported visible injuries, describing marks that were “purple and red” on the side of the boy’s face along with bruising on other areas of his body. Authorities said the agency recommended the child “be removed from” Michel’s residence.
When officers met with the child directly, they documented additional injuries.
“I observed a red dot bruise in his right eye, a visible bruise from the right side of his cheek to behind his right ear (purple and red in color), line marks on his left arm, and a bruise behind his legs,” a police officer wrote in the affidavit. “I briefly spoke to the victim who disclosed the defendant used a brown belt in the incident.”
The child was later transported to the special victims unit office for further evaluation, police said.
Michel arrived at the police station later that evening. After being read her Miranda rights, investigators say she admitted to using a belt as punishment.
“[The defendant] admitted to using a brown belt to punish the victim,” the affidavit goes on. “She added that she hit him several times on his arm and buttocks. She also said that because he was moving around, the belt opened up and hit him in his eye.”
Miami-Dade County court records indicate she is scheduled to appear in court on April 27. The investigation remains ongoing.
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