An 8-year-old Miami-Dade girl covered in scars and scavenging for food from the trash has led to the arrest of her mother, according to deputies, who say the child described a pattern of beatings and deprivation inside their home.
Investigators say the child reported she was forced to eat expired food or food taken from the garbage and that she was struck repeatedly with a cord, a frying pan and a spatula. She also told deputies she had once been hit in the face with a phone charging cable. Public arrest records identify the suspect as 27-year-old Naseline Timouche, who is facing charges that include aggravated child abuse causing great bodily harm and child neglect.
According to WPLG Local 10, deputies went to Timouche’s northwest Miami-Dade home on Saturday for a welfare check and found marks on the girl that matched what she told them. The station reports the child said she was often left alone for long stretches, including overnight, and that a neighbor had been stepping in with food, clothing and a place to stay when the girl was seen walking around by herself. WPLG Local 10 also notes that the publicly released arrest report indicates Timouche gave some form of admission to detectives and identifies her as an Amazon employee.
Booking and custody
Timouche was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, Miami-Dade County’s main booking and release facility. Online jail records listed her bond as “to be set” at the time the initial report was published. The Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation inmate search portal outlines how custody information is posted and where residents can look up a detainee’s status.
Legal consequences
Under Florida law, aggravated child abuse covers conduct that causes great bodily harm or otherwise fits the statute’s detailed standards, and the version of the charge filed against Timouche is a first degree felony. The definition of abuse, aggravated abuse and neglect appears in Florida Senate materials for Statutes section 827.03. Florida’s statute books are not exactly casual reading, but they are clear on one point in this case: first degree felonies are generally punishable by up to 30 years in prison, as laid out in the penalty framework in section 775.082, which is published by the Florida Legislature.
Where to report and local help
Anyone who suspects child abuse can contact the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873, or file a report electronically with the Department of Children and Families through its online reporting portal. Local families in need of coordinated medical, legal and counseling services can reach out to Kristi House, the state-designated Children’s Advocacy Center for Miami-Dade County.
The investigation remains active, and authorities have not released further details about the child’s identity or the events that triggered the welfare check. Court filings and official records are expected to show how the case moves forward as prosecutors formally file charges and hearings are set on the calendar.
