‘Whoop him harder.’ Woman forced 12-year-old to abuse his cousin, 5, police say

A 22-year-old woman jailed this week on charges of physically abusing a 5-year-old boy, leaving him with multiple injuries and hospitalized, now faces additional child-abuse charges for allegedly forcing a 12-year-old boy to also beat the younger child.

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Her boyfriend, who is the 5-year-old’s father, also faces charges.

On Tuesday, Homestead police officers were called out to the Homestead Hospital for a suspected child-abuse case. Doctors told police that a 5-year-old was brought into the emergency department with several injuries, including: “linear looped markings, abrasions, and facial trauma with both of the victim’s eyes swollen and bruised,” according to police.

An investigation revealed the child had been abused by his father Maurice Dukes, 35; Sarahi Azucena Gonzalez; and the boy’s 12-year-old cousin, police said.

Dukes was detained in Florida City and admitted to striking his son and that Azucena Gonzalez participated in the abuse as well, according to his arrest affidavit. He also never sought out medical attention for his son.

He is charged with aggravated child abuse and child neglect. He has bonded out of jail and pled not guilty, court records show.

Azucena Gonzalez admitted to hitting the 5-year-old with a belt and “chancleta” (sandal) “because no one would help her when she asked for help with caretaking,” her arrest affidavit reads. She was also charged with aggravated child abuse and child neglect.

Dukes and Azucena Gonzalez both said the 12-year-old struck his cousin multiple times in the face.

On Wednesday, Azucena Gonzalez, while still locked up at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, was additionally charged with child abuse with no great bodily harm and contributing to the delinquency of a child.

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Police say they met with the 12-year-old boy, who lived with Azucena Gonzalez and Dukes from February until April. On July 23, he was dropped off to spend time with his cousin.

He told police his cousin peed on the floor, which upset Azucena Gonzalez and she began to hit him, according to her second arrest affidavit. The abuse escalated, and she began to hit the child with a broom and her fists. The cousin tried to intervene, but Azucena Gonzalez continued to strike.

The 5-year-old was then told to stand on the bed and face the wall as he cried, police say.

Azucena Gonzalez handed the 12-year-old a belt and ordered him to strike his cousin in the butt. He complied “out of fear,” he told police.

She told the boy to “whoop him harder,” because she did not think he was hitting hard enough, according to the 12-year-old, who told police he was too scared to call police or his parents.

Azucena Gonzalez remains jailed at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Thursday afternoon.

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