North Miami Beach, Florida – A North Miami Beach mother has been arrested following a disturbing child abuse investigation involving her 6-year-old son with autism, who was found in cardiac arrest and suffering from severe injuries. Authorities say the case centers on alleged abuse by the child’s mother’s boyfriend and the mother’s failure to protect or report the abuse.
Incident Overview
The mother, Cynthia Hernandez, 32, surrendered to police on Friday and now faces multiple criminal charges connected to the abuse of her son, Mason. Investigators say the child was beaten so severely that he nearly died.
Her boyfriend, Daniel Eduardo Romero, 34, was previously arrested and remains jailed without bond on multiple felony charges related to the incident.
Timeline of Events
The investigation began on January 9, when officers with the North Miami Beach Police Department responded to a home in the 1400 block of Northeast 179th Street following a report of a child in cardiac arrest.
Body camera footage released by police shows Mason, then reported as 5 years old, wrapped in a blanket and unresponsive, with no detectable pulse. One responding officer immediately began chest compressions…