The girl reportedly saw her mother, Ailenys Carmenate, 31, strangling her six-month-old sister with her elbow and jumped in to help.
A brave nine-year-old girl stopped her mother from strangling her baby sister, police said.
The girl reportedly saw her mother, Ailenys Carmenate, 31, attacking her six-month-old sister with her elbow and jumped in to help in Miami, Florida on Saturday.
Moments earlier, Carmenate told the nine-year-old and her 12-year-old brother to go to bed. They obeyed Carmenate’s orders and she followed the children into their bedroom with the infant – then she told someone on the phone that she killed their baby sister.
Investigators said the children witnessed Carmenate pressing her elbow into the infant’s neck. However, the baby’s protective older sister intervened and began pulling her mother’s hair, biting her and fighting her in an attempt to help her helpless sister.
The infant’s father, Randy Montano, heard screams coming from inside the bedroom and tried to rush in, but the door was locked. He reportedly shares the six-month-old daughter with Carmenate, but he is not the older children’s father, according to NBC Miami.
Police said the 12-year-old boy was able to get to the door and open it. Montano then came running in and stopped Carmenate from attacking their daughter.
He left the room with the infant as the two older children followed, but Carmenate chased the 12-year-old down and began choking him.
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The boy was able to break free only for Carmenate to attack the nine-year-old, choking her like she did to the other two children, police said.
Carmenate, who is the mother of the two older children, eventually let go and the girl was able to escape.
The two older children later told police that they were in fear for their lives and thought Carmenate would kill them and their baby sister.
Authorities said the baby was left with marks on her neck and a head injury. The nine-year-old also reportedly suffered marks on her neck from strangulation.
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Carmenate was arrested and charged with child abuse, kidnapping and attempted murder.
She sobbed in court on Monday when the judge told Carmenate she is prohibited from having contact with her children. The judge also called Carmenate’s nine-year-old daughter a ‘hero.’
Mantano told CBS that he believes Carmenate was suffering from postpartum depression. Her mother said that she also believes her daughter is suffering from a mental health issue.
