Bel Air, MD – A North Carolina woman has been charged with murder in connection to the death of her toddler, after a sheriff’s deputy discovered her holding the lifeless body in the street. The Harford County Sheriff’s Deputy immediately called for assistance upon making the troubling discovery early Sunday morning last week.
The victim, a three-year-old boy named Jason Garcia, was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival, according to the local police department. Charging documents, obtained by local news stations WUSA, WBALTV, and WLBT, alleged that Gloria Elena Hughes, 37, was seen on surveillance footage repeatedly slamming her son into the ground.
Disturbingly, the documents also revealed that the child had been in the emergency room the previous night for ingesting acid, further raising questions about his welfare. The boy’s father had reportedly alerted North Carolina police to a custody dispute earlier that same day, according to WUSA.
Gloria Elena Hughes is now facing charges of first-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death. It is currently unknown if she has entered a plea. In the wake of this tragic incident, authorities are reminding the public to remain vigilant and report any suspected cases of child abuse.