According to a report by Law and Crime on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, a harrowing case of child abuse has surfaced in Florida, where a mother is accused of viciously beating her toddler while on a FaceTime call with the child’s father, allegedly threatening to kill the little girl in the process.
The disturbing incident has led to charges against the mother, Aaliyah Shantrelle Herring, 25, who now faces counts of child abuse and child neglect, according to Miami-Dade County court records.
The abuse allegedly took place during a video call, where the 3-year-old’s father witnessed the horrifying scene unfolding live.
According to the Miami Gardens Police Department, the father began recording the incident to document the violence, which he later turned over to law enforcement, bringing the case to the attention of authorities earlier this month. told by Daily Mail.
On Monday, Herring was arrested following an investigation. During a subsequent interview, she reportedly admitted to disciplining her daughter for “throwing a remote at her,” as detailed in an arrest report obtained by WPLG, an ABC affiliate based in Miami.
However, Herring later retracted her admission, claiming that the video was fabricated using artificial intelligence and that she was not the woman in the footage.
“What you see in the video is a mother repeatedly beating a young child,” Miami Gardens Police Sgt. Emmanuel Jeanty said in an interview with WPLG.
“It was very, very hard for us to watch.”
The video itself paints a chilling picture of the alleged abuse. The toddler can be seen lying face down, seemingly attempting to shield herself with a piece of furniture.
Her cries are clearly audible throughout the footage. In the video, the mother is allegedly seen striking the child with what appears to be a hanger.
As the violence continues, the woman makes at least two comments that heavily suggest she might kill the little girl.
“Since you don’t want to handle your own kid,” a woman can be heard saying in the video, addressing the child’s father. “Guess what? I’ll eliminate her damn self, how about that?”
The tirade continues with another alarming statement, “Still don’t want to shut up? That’s fine, y’all going to watch me kill your kid, how about that?”
Following the incident, Herring was temporarily detained under Florida’s Baker Act, which allows for involuntary mental health examination before being formally arrested.
The child’s father, who spoke to NBC affiliate WTVJ, shared the recorded footage and recounted the chilling interaction with Herring as the abuse unfolded.
“[She was] blowing up my phone telling me to come pick up [the child],” he said.
“Then, she’s sending me pictures on Messenger. Saying that she’s had it. Saying that I’m making excuses. I’m not picking up [the child]. I’m not caring for her. I’m not — I’m not acting like the father that I was supposed to be.”
The couple is no longer together, and the father had previously been granted supervised access to the child in a custody arrangement that is now likely to be revisited in light of the recent events.
On Tuesday, Herring appeared before 11th Circuit Court Judge Mindy Glazer, who granted her pretrial release.
She was subsequently released from custody on Wednesday. As part of the conditions of her bail, Herring is prohibited from having any contact with her daughter.
During her initial hearing, Herring pleaded not guilty, and a public defender was appointed to her case. Her next court appearance is scheduled for September 18th.
Authorities have confirmed that the child is now in stable condition and is being cared for by Herring’s stepmother.
