PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – The stepmother of a 3-year-old boy who was found dead in his Hollywood home last week said she hid the body in a box inside the laundry room because "she was scared and didn't know what to do," police said.
Analiz Osceola was arrested Wednesday in the death of her husband's son, Ahziya Osceola.
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She faces charges of aggravated manslaughter, child neglect and providing false information to law enforcement.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by Local 10 News on Friday, Osceola told police that she discovered Ahziya was missing on the morning of March 19 after she noticed that the back door to the home was open and the door handle was loose. She told police that her wallet and cash were also missing.
However, Osceola later changed her story after Ahziya's body was found and said he "had died during the night," the affidavit said.
Osceola said she was sleeping with Ahziya and her 5-year-old son when she heard Ahziya grunting about 1 a.m., the document said. Osceola asked Ahziya if he needed to use the bathroom and he said yes, so she attempted to lift him off the bed, at which time he repeatedly shouted no and that he didn't need to go anymore, the report said.
A few hours later, Osceola woke up and felt Ahziya, who was cold to the touch, so she put him on the floor and attempted CPR, but the boy had no pulse, the affidavit said.
Osceola "stated she knew that Ahziya was dead and placed him back on the bed," the document said.
Instead of notifying her mother, a nurse who was asleep in another room, Osceola put Ahziya back in bed "and never alerted anyone that he was dead," the report said.
She then went back to sleep and waited until everyone but the children had left the house to hide Ahziya's body, the affidavit said.
Osceola "got two white garbage bags and placed Ahziya in them," the affidavit said. "She then dragged Ahziya to the laundry room, where she saw the box. She placed Ahziya inside the box and covered him with a clear plastic bag. She then stuffed two garbage bags completely filled with clothes inside the box to conceal him."
When asked what she planned to do with the body, the affidavit said, Osceola told police she was "going to do something with him and then call the police, but she was unsure of what she was going to do."
An autopsy performed by a Broward County medical examiner revealed that "Ahziya had numerous bruises on his torso, right leg, head and face and to both arms and legs," the affidavit said. "He had numerous gouge marks to his neck. His left leg had a spiral fracture to the left tibia and a large open wound to the top of his foot and shin area."
The medical examiner said "Ahziya would not have been able to stand or walk due to this injury."
Ahziya's cause of death was ruled to be blunt-impact abdominal trauma causing a transected pancreas and a lacerated liver.
Nelson Osceola, Ahziya's father, was also arrested on a child neglect charge. A separate arrest affidavit said he "failed to provide Ahziya with the care, supervision and services necessary to maintain Ahziya's physical health" and "failed to make a reasonable effort to protect" Ahziya from his stepmother.
According to the Florida Department of Children and Families, there were four previous reports investigated by the Broward Sheriff's Office involving the Osceola family dating back to 2013.
A 27-page confidential investigative summary obtained by Local 10 News details the abuse Ahziya was alleged to have endured during his short life.
"The impressions were positive for physical abuse," the report noted.
In April 2014, Ahziya had "finger prints and a bruise" on the lower side of each side of his jaw bone, the report said.
"He has scratches on both sides of his neck, a large bruise and bump on the right side of his forehead, a knot above his ear in his hair and bruises on his left rib cage on his back," the report stated.
Months later, workers at the day care center Ahziya attended said he had several bruises on a weekly basis on his body, the report said.
There was also a notation after Ahziya's visit to Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital.
"After being evaluated, the doctor has determined that Ahziya has small abrasions in his rectum," the report said.
The case was closed "with no indicators of physical injury," citing a lack of "physical evidence to support the allegation of physical abuse."
Nelson Osceola was released from jail Thursday morning on $50,000 bond. Analiz Osceola remained in jail Friday. Her bond was set at $230,000.
Ahziya Osceola, 3, was found dead inside his Hollywood home.
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