A Florida woman entrusted with the care of her girlfriend’s young son is facing serious criminal charges after the child was hospitalized with multiple injuries that doctors say were consistent with non-accidental trauma.
Deniqua Lovett, 34, was arrested by the Miramar Police Department on December 28, 2025, and charged with child neglect with great bodily harm. Authorities allege the injuries occurred while the boy was under Lovett’s supervision. The child’s condition was severe enough to require admission to the intensive care unit.
According to an arrest warrant reviewed by Law&Crime, the case came to the attention of police after medical staff at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Florida, contacted authorities on September 4, 2025. The boy had been brought to the emergency room by his mother with “swelling to the head and elbow,” which she initially believed resulted from a fall at a playground.
However, a medical examination revealed far more serious injuries. Doctors found that the boy had a broken elbow, multiple rib fractures “at multiple stages of healing,” a “traumatic hematoma” on his head, and elevated liver enzymes. Due to the nature and extent of the injuries, the child was transferred for further evaluation and treatment at the children’s hospital.
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Investigators said the boy’s mother told them she learned of the injuries from Lovett, who had been watching the child while she was at work. Lovett reportedly told her girlfriend that the boy “went down the slide differently and fell off” the side of the slide at a playground.
Police later reviewed surveillance footage from the playground dated September 3 and 4, 2025. According to the affidavit, neither Lovett nor the child appeared in the video recordings on either day. Police also noted that it was raining on September 3, raising further questions about the explanation provided.
Additional injuries allegedly occurred during periods when the child was in Lovett’s care. Investigators said Lovett told the boy’s mother that the child “fell behind the bed” while playing, an incident she claimed happened in July 2025. The rib fractures were believed to have resulted from that time frame.
The boy also suffered burns near his ear. When questioned by police, Lovett said she “accidentally” burned the child while using a “hot comb” on his hair.
An orthopedic surgeon who treated the child told investigators that the elbow injury likely occurred at least two days before the boy was taken to the emergency room. A full skeletal survey later revealed additional healed fractures to the child’s collarbone, forearm, and knee. Medical professionals reportedly concluded that the pattern of injuries “are consistent with non-accidental trauma.”
Following the investigation, authorities placed the boy in the custody of his mother’s aunt to ensure his safety.
Lovett was taken into custody on December 28, 2025. During a court hearing held Monday, a judge set her bond at $100,000, which she has since posted. As of now, her next court appearance has not been publicly scheduled.
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