Mom's girlfriend had several stories to explain child's injuries that left him hospitalized, including burning his head with a 'hot comb': Police

A Florida pistillate entrusted with the attraction of her girlfriend's lad was arrested for child neglect.

Deniqua Lovett, 34, posted bond aft she was arrested by the Miramar Police Department connected Dec. 28, 2025, connected suspicion of kid neglect with large bodily harm. According to an apprehension warrant reviewed by Law&Crime, Lovett was liable for watching her girlfriend's young son erstwhile the lad sustained respective injuries. The boy's injuries were superior capable to bring him to the hospital, wherever helium was admitted to the intensive attraction unit.

Police said that Lovett provided her woman with respective explanations for wherefore her lad ended up with a breached arm, breached ribs, and respective different contusions.

According to police, aesculapian unit astatine Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital successful Hollywood, Florida, contacted the Miramar Police Department aft the lad was admitted to the hospital's intensive attraction portion connected Sept. 4, 2025. The boy's parent brought him to the exigency country with "swelling to the caput and elbow," which she said happened aft helium fell disconnected a descent astatine a playground.

When the lad was examined by aesculapian staff, they recovered that his elbow was breached and helium had respective rib fractures "at aggregate stages of healing." Doctors besides diagnosed a "traumatic hematoma" connected the boy's caput and elevated liver enzymes. His information warranted further attraction and valuation astatine the children's hospital.

Police spoke to the boy's mother, who told them that she archetypal learned of her son's injuries from Lovett, who had been watching the lad portion she was astatine work. Lovett told her astir the boy's autumn disconnected the descent erstwhile she picked her up from enactment the aforesaid day. According to the affidavit, Lovett told her woman that the lad "went down the descent otherwise and fell off" the broadside of the slide.

According to the affidavit, constabulary reviewed surveillance video of the playground from Sept. 3 and 4, 2025. Police did not spot Lovett oregon the lad connected the footage either day; it was besides reportedly raining connected Sept. 3, 2025.

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The rib fractures besides allegedly occurred erstwhile the lad was successful Lovett's care. Police said Lovett told the boy's parent that helium "fell down the bed" portion playing connected it. Lovett told constabulary that the alleged incidental connected the furniture happened successful July 2025.

Among the boy's galore injuries were burns adjacent his ear. When asked by constabulary astir the burns, Lovett said that she "accidentally" burned the boy's receptor portion utilizing a "hot comb" connected his hair.

An orthopedic surgeon who performed country connected the boy's elbow told constabulary that the elbow wounded was apt sustained astatine slightest 2 days earlier the lad was brought to the exigency room. Police said aesculapian unit conducted a skeletal survey connected the lad and recovered respective different healed fractures to his collarbone, forearm, and knee. Such injuries, the doctors said, "are accordant with non-accidental trauma."

Authorities placed the lad successful the custody of his mother's aunt.

Lovett was arrested connected Dec. 28, 2025, and charged with kid neglect with large bodily harm. At a proceeding connected Monday, her enslaved was acceptable astatine $100,000, which she posted. Her adjacent tribunal day has not been made public.