Teresa Martinez {BSO}
By Ryan Yousefi
A Coral Springs mother faces child abuse charges after she confessed to injuring her child with a belt, contrary to her claim that her ex-husband was responsible.
On October 9, the Coral Springs Police Department began an investigation of a report of alleged child abuse at the request of a woman, Teresa Martinez, 40, of Coral Springs, who initially accused her estranged husband of causing injuries to their child with a belt.
According to records, the child’s account shifted during subsequent interviews with law enforcement. The child reportedly told officers that he and his father had been having fun together and didn’t mention any belt strikes, only that his father had played Pokemon cards with him and taken him to the arcade.
Further questions revealed there may have been something afoul and an ulterior motive to the abuse report. Notably, the child did not remember anything negative happening during the day of the alleged beating by his father and only remembered it had happened when specifically asked.
According to records of the interview, the child also commented to officers who asked about the family’s relationship: “Me and mom are trying our best to stay together so we don’t have to go to Dad.”
Upon further investigation, it was revealed that Martinez had used a brown belt to strike her son multiple times on his back. Crime Scene Technicians documented approximately 4-5 belt strikes on the child’s back. The injuries were painful, as the child requested that no one touch them during photography.
Further investigation revealed Martinez had engaged in misleading conduct by attempting to coach the child into providing a false narrative to law enforcement officers. Amidst confusion in the case, Martinez called detectives to try to withdraw her police report, indicting, “Now I don’t know what happened.”
In a recorded conversation, a detective confronted Teresa about her involvement, asking her if she had used the belt on her child. Teresa eventually confessed to hitting her son with a belt out of frustration and loneliness.
As a result of the investigation, Teresa Martinez was arrested and transported to the Broward County Main Jail. She was later released after posting a $8,000 bond.
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