Keys Woman Charged With Attempted Murder of a Child
A Florida Keys mother faces
attempted murder charges after a video allegedly showed her trying to hit her two-month old daughter with a piece of concrete.
The video, obtained by the Department of Children and Families, showed the 19-year-old accused mother holding the child in one arm and a piece of concrete in the other hand.
When the accused woman allegedly tried to hit the infant, two men nearby stepped in and stopped her, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department.
While very little about this incident has been released so far, I would not be surprised to learn that the accused woman suffers from a mental health condition that could have caused her behavior. Mental illness is often responsible for criminal behavior. The woman should be evaluated immediately so that her mental health concerns can be addressed.
A woman who obviously suffers from a mental health condition may have her sentence mitigated for mental health reasons. If the woman requires treatment, then the Court and the State may be willing to be more lenient provided she obtain treatment as a condition of her sentence.
Eric Matheny is a criminal defense attorney serving Miami-Dade and Broward. If you or a loved one have been charged with a crime, call me.