Young mother arrested for child abuse
SANTA ANA – The Santa Ana police have announced the arrest of Antonia Benitez of Santa Ana on charges of child abuse.
Antonia Benitez
On June third, a local hospital reported that a woman had dropped off a 4-year-old girl suffering from open wounds and malnutrition. The girl weighed an unusually light 18 pounds. After dropping her off, the mother fled the hospital.
The hospital authorities, while caring for the child, contacted Orange County Social Services, as well as the Santa Ana police. Officers went to the suspect’s home to check on the woman and her other kids. According to the press release, she is listed as mother to a total of 9 children, ranging in age from the 4-year-old to a 16-year-old teenager. It is unclear what the actual relationship is between Benitez and the children, as she is identified as only 26-years-old herself, so it is unlikely that she was the biological mother of all 9, especially since the oldest would have been born when Benitez was only 10 or 11 years of age herself.
Further investigation will be ongoing, including the possible involvement of the father of the children. Meanwhile, all the children were placed into protective custody, while Benitez is facing 3 counts of felony child abuse. Her Bail was set at $250,000.
