Mother charged with child abuse after video shows her beating, biting sons at Hialeah market

A 43-year-old mother faces two felony child abuse charges after surveillance cameras recorded her beating, biting, and pulling the hair of her two young sons at a Hialeah market, according to police.

Madelein Inurrieta-Martinez was arrested after store video captured the alleged abuse of her 7- and 8-year-old sons at Fatty's Market. She remains in jail on a $5,000 bond, with jail records indicating a hold on her release related to her immigration status.

A spokesperson for the Hialeah Police Department said officers did not inquire about Inurrieta-Martinez's immigration status and have no involvement in the immigration hold.

According to police, the surveillance video shows the woman pulling and squeezing one child's ear for six seconds as the child screamed. Fadi Malouf, who has watched parents discipline their children in his stores for 20 years, said the sound was unlike anything he had heard before.

"That's not discipline," Malouf said. "If she does this in public, can you imagine what she does behind closed doors?"

The footage later shows the woman grabbing her other son by the hair and biting his ear, police said. Investigators said the beating continued outside the store.

Malouf called police after viewing the footage. Officers located Inurrieta-Martinez five blocks away.

Inurrieta-Martinez had facial bruises, including a black eye, in her mugshot. Investigators said officers found her with those injuries prior to her arrest. Inurrieta-Martinez claimed the bruises occurred when she tried to break up an unrelated fight, according to investigators.

During a bond hearing Sunday evening, Judge Christina Miranda ordered Inurrieta-Martinez to have no contact with her sons.

"You are to have no contact with them," Miranda told Inurrieta-Martinez.

Inurrieta-Martinez, a Cuban national who does not speak English, wore headphones and listened to the proceedings through a translator. She pleaded not guilty. The judge ordered her to stay away from the victims until the case is resolved.

"Those kids need to be out of this woman's reach," Malouf said. "That's not a person that's supposed to have kids around her at all. You don't treat kids like that."