Mother and Daughter Accused of Child Negligence with Four Children in Miami Beach

A deeply unsettling case of alleged child negligence has rocked Miami Beach, following the arrest of a mother and daughter after four children, aged between 1 and 8 years, were found in their shared home in alarming conditions of neglect. The two women, whose nationality remains undisclosed, are Lourdes Reyes Martínez, 48, and her daughter, Cesia Rosales Reyes, 23. They now face multiple charges of child negligence.

The incident unfolded last Saturday, according to Univision, when city police responded to a call from the father of one of the children—a one-year-old—who expressed concern for the child's welfare. He claimed Cesia Rosales Reyes, the child's mother, "has a history of leaving him alone and feared for his safety." Upon arriving at the residence located at the intersection of 1324 Street and Euclid Ave, officers heard a baby crying inside the apartment.

When they knocked, an 8-year-old child answered the door. Inside, officers discovered three more children: a five-year-old sleeping on a bunk bed, a two-year-old wandering around, and the youngest, a one-year-old, crawling on the floor and crying. Univision reports that the one and two-year-olds were "only wearing diapers, which were sagging due to being soiled with urine and feces." An open jar of peanut butter was found on the living room floor, and the police report noted, "the two-year-old had peanut butter smeared on his arms, legs, and face."

Disturbing Conditions in the Household

The apartment's condition was described as distressing. According to the media outlet's report, "the kitchen lacked potable water for the children, and the refrigerator contained only frozen meat and spoiled food. No food was available in the pantry, and there was just one single bed and a bunk bed, seemingly shared by all the children." Telemundo 51 corroborated these findings, noting that the children were "without access to drinking water, food, and visibly neglected."

Attempts to Evade Police and Previous Incidents

During the police intervention, an additional incident complicated the situation. Univision reported 911 calls concerning a car accident at the intersection of 11th Street and Euclid Avenue, where a vehicle overturned, and both the driver and passenger fled the scene. They were later identified as Cosme Leyva, the father of the two-year-old, and Cesia Rosales Reyes, who sustained an arm injury.

As the investigation continued, the police identified a third person, O.R., who arrived at the apartment while officers were still present and claimed to have "left the children alone to go to the park." Univision also noted that Cesia Rosales Reyes "had been involved in a previous incident where one of the children was found alone outside the apartment by neighbors, prompting a police call."

Community Reactions and Judicial Measures

However, a neighbor interviewed by Telemundo 51 expressed disbelief over the incident, describing the family as "very peaceful." "All they did was play like all kids, go out, and enjoy themselves. The mother worked; we never saw any issues or wrongdoing," the neighbor stated. "It was quite shocking that the police took them away because we never noticed anything alarming enough to warrant such drastic action," she added.

In a court hearing, the judge issued a restraining order against Cesia Rosales Reyes, leading the young woman to tears. However, the judge emphasized that "the final decision rests with the Department of Children and Families." Currently, the children are under the care of child protective services, while both women face charges of "child negligence without significant bodily harm." Additionally, there is an immigration hold order against the mother and daughter.