HOMESTEAD, FLA. (WSVN) - A mother and her 19-year-old son were arrested after police said they repeatedly beat an 8-year-old girl with a belt at home.
Jamaury Elijah Benoit, 19, and his mother, Rebecca Bouie, were taken into custody following a child abuse investigation that began at Keys Gate Charter School on Monday.
According to the arrest report, Homestead police responded to the school after receiving allegations of suspected child abuse.
Investigators spoke with the 8-year-old girl, who said she was physically disciplined by her mother, Bouie, and her brother, Benoit.
The girl told investigators that both hit her with a belt on her arms, legs and abdomen.
Police said the child had multiple healed, patterned marks on her arms, legs and abdomen that were consistent with being struck with a belt.
The girl also told investigators that Benoit bound her wrists and ankles together with shoelaces and left her restrained for at least one hour before releasing her.
According to the report, Benoit had previously been arrested on Jan. 30 on a child abuse charge involving the same girl.
That previous case resulted in a non-expiring stay-away order prohibiting Benoit from having contact with the child.
Investigators said that on an unknown date, Bouie allowed Benoit to return to the home despite the stay-away order.
Bouie later responded to the school, where officers took her into custody and transported her to the Homestead Police Department.
Officers subsequently located Benoit at the family’s residence and took him into custody.
Following the arrests, the Department of Children and Families conducted an emergency removal of the 8-year-old girl and the remaining siblings from the home.
Benoit faces charges of aggravated child abuse causing great bodily harm or torture and domestic violence violation of an injunction.
During bond court, a judge set Bouie’s bond at $5,000 and ordered her to stay away from the child, subject to DCF.
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