Kelly Michel (Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation).
A woman from Florida has been arrested for allegedly striking her autistic son with a belt after he kissed a fellow student, according to reports from local law enforcement.
Kelly Michel, age 27, faces charges of child abuse without causing severe injury, as noted by the Miami Police Department.
The incident reportedly took place on a Tuesday after the 7-year-old returned home from school, as outlined in a criminal complaint and arrest affidavit reviewed by Law&Crime.
An investigator from the Department of Children and Families introduced the child to a case coordinator at the University of Miami’s Child Protection Team, who subsequently passed the case to law enforcement authorities, according to the police.
“The victim mentioned that a classmate had fallen at school, and he kissed him on the cheek to help him feel better,” an officer detailed in the affidavit. “Several students informed the teacher, who then notified the victim’s parents.”
Following this notification, Michel is accused of using a belt on her son.
“The victim told [the Child Protective Team] that the defendant hit him on his face with a belt,” the affidavit goes on. “The victim urinated on himself as he disclosed [the incident] to them.”
Child welfare agents then reported to law enforcement that the boy had visible injuries – described as “purple and red” – on the side of his face as well as bruises on various areas of his body. The agency also recommended the child “be removed from” Michel’s residence.
Next, law enforcement went to meet with the boy directly.
“I observed a red dot bruise in his right eye, a visible bruise from the right side of his cheek to behind his right ear (purple and red in color), line marks on his left arm, and a bruise behind his legs,” a police officer wrote in the affidavit. “I briefly spoke to the victim who disclosed the defendant used a brown belt in the incident.”
The boy was then taken to the special victims unit office, police said. Later that evening, the defendant arrived at the police station.
After being read her Miranda rights, Michel allegedly admitted to using the belt on her son, according to law enforcement.
“[The defendant] admitted to using a brown belt to punish the victim,” the affidavit goes on. “She added that she hit him several times on his arm and buttocks. She also said that because he was moving around, the belt opened up and hit him in his eye.”
The defendant was arrested on Thursday night and booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center early Friday morning. She was detained on $2,500 bond as of Friday afternoon, but is no longer listed as an inmate as of this writing, records show.
Michel is next slated to appear in court on April 27, Miami-Dade County records show.
