A young couple from the city of Hialeah, Florida have been arrested after their twin babies were hospitalized with multiple fractures. The couple, later identified as 23-year-old Adrian Cordovi and his girlfriend 27-year-old Dayana Sosa (also spelled Dayna Sosa), have been arrested by the Hialeah Police department, The Miami Herald reports. Both the parents have been charged with five counts of aggravated child abuse. Following their arrest, both of them appeared at a court on Friday where a $20,000 bond was set for Cordovi and $10,000 for Sosa.
According to reports, the incident came to light after Dayana and Adrian brought their 2-month-old daughter to the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami. The duo complained that the baby would not stop crying when her right leg was touched. After a pediatrician from the hospital examined the little baby, the doctor was shocked to find that the baby had some serious internal injuries – including several fractures that needed urgent attention. The parents were told that the child had an acute fracture in her right tibia (the shinbone or shank bone), and two separate rib fractures.
Hialeah couple accused of abusing infant twins who suffered multiple bone fractures: https://t.co/E3JUFP748A pic.twitter.com/IVxxpHF6Vx
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All the fractures were found to be slightly old and were all in different stages of healing. This meant that it had been some time since the baby was injured. After the doctor suspected that the child could have been a victim of abuse, hospital authorities questioned the parents and asked if the couple had another child, following which it was revealed that they had another baby, a twin brother of the little girl. They were asked to bring the other child as well for examination. To their shock, the male child was also had similar injuries and fractures to his right tibia. According to doctors, both the babies would have been in tremendous pain for quite some time with the kind of injuries they had suffered. Since hospital authorities suspected child abuse, they notified the local law enforcement authorities following which the duo were arrested. On Friday, when they were presented before the court, the judge was disturbed by the kind of injuries that had been inflicted on the babies’.
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A senior pediatrician from the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Dr. Walter Lambert was also present at the hearing and testified that the daughter would have been in acute pain for an extended period of time. Following the testimony, Judge Mavel Ruiz ordered both the babies to be taken under the care of the state. However, the great aunt of both the babies stepped forward and said she is ready to take care of them. Following this, the judge asked authorities to carry out an investigation and home study of the great aunt. She would also have to undergo a standard drug test for her to keep the babies. Until then, both the babies would remain under temporary foster care. Meanwhile, the attorney appearing on behalf of the accused parents asked the judge for the parents to be allowed to have temporary visitation rights. The judge, however, turned down that request. In fact, the attorneys claimed that both the kids were well nourished and did not look as if they were abused.
“I can personally tell you that I was at the hospital seeing these children they were well-nourished, no bruises. The little boy was smiling, the daughter was sitting in the mother’s lap,” attorney Max Adams, said.
In a separate bond court, another Judge, Mindy Glazer had ordered that the parents would not be allowed near the babies even after they are released on bond.
In case the babies’ great aunt passes the standard drug test and home study, she may be given temporary custody of them both. This, however, is not expected to happen until January 3, the next date for the hearing. Both the parents walked out of jail after paying their respective bonds at 8 p.m. on Friday.
[Featured image by HolgersFotografie/ Pixabay ]
