Florida mother charged in disturbing case after teen daughter with special needs was allegedly chained to a fence

A Florida mother has been arrested after police accused her of chaining her 13-year-old daughter, who has special needs, to a fence outside a relative’s home in Hialeah. The incident, reported by NBC 6 South Florida, has led to child abuse and neglect charges against 34-year-old Yashira Maldonado.

Investigators say the incident happened on July 11 after Maldonado drove her daughter to the girl’s great-grandmother’s home. Home surveillance footage allegedly shows her wrapping a metal chain around the teen’s waist before securing the other end to the property’s fence, limiting her ability to move.

Police said the girl was left outside in direct sunlight without shade, food, or water. An arrest report states she had a bag containing clothes, diapers, wipes, and medication, but remained chained to the fence while her mother drove away. 

Every child deserves care, especially when they rely on others the most

According to investigators, after leaving the property, Maldonado allegedly turned off her phone notifications and returned home, where she got into bed and watched television. She also reportedly texted her mother to say she had just been fired from her job.

The girl’s great-grandmother later discovered her chained to the fence and tried to free her but was unable to remove the chain. She then drove to Maldonado’s home and asked her to release the teen. The grandmother did not contact police because she feared being evicted by her landlord.

The girl’s father eventually learned what had happened and called police. Officers arrived to find the teen still chained to the fence after she had been left there for about an hour. She was found safe and unharmed. Unfortunately, this is not the only recent child abuse case that shocked the community. In another incident, a Florida fire lieutenant was also arrested after investigators uncovered allegations of prolonged abuse involving his adopted daughter, raising further concerns about protecting vulnerable children. 

During the investigation, police said Maldonado admitted chaining her daughter to the fence and acknowledged that she knew it “looked bad and was wrong.” She allegedly told investigators she did it to keep the teen safe. However, the authorities contend that she ignored her phone and stayed home instead of checking on her daughter.

Court documents cited by CBS News state that Maldonado told investigators she needed a break from caring for her daughter. A neighbor also told CBS News that the 13-year-old has special needs.

Maldonado was ordered held on a $10,000 bond and could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted, a police spokesperson said. She is scheduled to return to court on September 9. Similar concerns have also emerged in childcare settings. Concerns about protecting vulnerable children have also extended to childcare facilities. In an unrelated case in New York, four daycare workers were also arrested amid a multimillion-dollar lawsuit alleging abuse of young children.