A mother is involved in a case concerning an infant.
The case is connected to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.
The case escalated on November 2, when the infant was brought in for a follow-up visit and was found with a far more serious set of injuries: a skull fracture, bruising, neck marks, and a hemorrhage in the left eye, the sheriff’s office said. Martinez reportedly told staff the infant probably scratched himself with his nails, but could not offer another explanation for the new injuries, according to the agency’s account.
Medical Staff Raised Alarm Over Nonaccidental Trauma
Medical staff advised Martinez that the infant needed immediate hospital care and expressed concern that the injuries appeared to be nonaccidental trauma, per the sheriff’s office. Martinez reportedly refused to authorize the infant’s transport until she could speak with a family member, before the baby was ultimately transported to the hospital, where the infant continues to receive treatment, the agency said.
Detectives said they developed probable cause to arrest Martinez based on those findings. The Florida Department of Children and Families removed the infant, along with another child, from Martinez’s care, according to the sheriff’s office.
Sheriff Cites Duty to Protect Children
Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said a child suffering serious injuries must receive immediate medical care, and that the sheriff’s office would continue holding accountable anyone who puts a child’s safety and well-being at risk, per the agency’s statement. The sheriff’s office said the investigation remains ongoing.
Martinez faces a felony child neglect charge without great bodily harm. Under the Florida Statutes, neglect can include a willful failure to provide necessary care, including medical services a prudent person would consider essential to a child’s well-being, and the law specifies that neglect may be based on a single incident rather than only a pattern of repeated conduct. Qualifying neglect without great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement is classified as a third-degree felony under the statute.
