MIRAMAR, Fla. – A Broward County mother of seven is facing nearly two dozen child abuse-related charges after police said neighbors found three of her young children wandering the streets wearing diapers while covered in blood, cuts and feces.
Miramar police said they were responding to an anonymous child abuse call Monday afternoon after one of their officers was with three of the seven victims, ages 1, 2, and 3, at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood.
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Police said after arriving at the home of 37-year-old Anela Jean Louis, they made contact with her oldest daughter, 21-year-old Makayla Jean-Louis, and a male who was sitting in the patio of the home with a 1-year-old child.
Investigators said they immediately noticed that the home was in “deplorable conditions” and that the “entire residence smelled like feces and urine.” They also said there was no food in the refrigerator of the home.
After speaking with Makayla Jean Louis outside due to the “pungent odor of the residence,” she stated that she did not know her mom was gone because she fell asleep and became very aggressive when the officer asked why the home was in such deplorable conditions, the report stated.
In response, Makayla Jean Louis told police that her mother has a lot of kids and “they mess it up,” according to the report. She also told police that there wasn’t a lot of food at the home because “the kids eat it all,” authorities said.
After responding to the hospital, police said they made contact with Anela Jean Louis, who was in the room with her three infant children who were crying when officers arrived.
Anela Jean-Louis asked a detective to get the children food because they were starving. Police said food was provided to them by the hospital staff.
Investigators said they spoke with one of the children who had a deep cut in between his fingers of his right hand which he said was 2-3 days old. They also said he had cuts under his right foot that weren’t properly treated.
While being questioned by police, Anela Jean Louis told investigators that she was “being set up” by her daughter, Mikayla Jean Louis, the report stated.
Police said after further examination of the children, Jean-Louis’ 1-year-old child had a scratch under her left eye and other red marks on her stomach and back.
Investigators said Anela Jean Louis’ 2-year-old son was found with a deep cut in between his fingers, on the bottom of his feet and several scars in the healing stages on his back, arms, body and legs. He also had some type of skin infection with scabs on the back of his neck and head, according to authorities.
Police said Anela Jean Louis’ 3-year-old son had several marks on his body which were either in the healing stages or scarred.
Detectives said they arrested Anela Jean Louis on seven counts each of aggravated child abuse, child neglect, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and one charge of resisting arrest without violence.
Police said as they went to place handcuffs on Jean Louis, she resisted arrest by clenching her fists and bending forward while continuing to yell at the officers.
At one point while being detained, Anela Jean Louis tried reaching for one of her children and stated, “Come help mommy,” according to the report.
Police said as they were able to place Anela Jean-Louis in handcuffs, she told them that she was pregnant and could not breathe.
After the incident occurred, Anela Jean Louis stated that she needed to “change her pad” because she was on her menstrual cycle, which conflicted with the previous statement she made about being pregnant.
Further investigation showed that all of Anela Jean Louis’ children had scars and wounds on their bodies.
The 6 and 10-year-olds were released to Maykala Jean Louis by their school even though staff were ordered not to do so.
The seven kids, however, are now in the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families, according to the report.
The report also said Jean Louis had 20 previous DCF cases — including two ongoing investigations.
She remains in the Broward main jail as of Tuesday afternoon.