MIAMI SPRINGS, Fla. – A 26-year-old man was arrested Wednesday after he choked his stepson inside a hotel room in Miami Springs where they had been living, authorities said.
According to his arrest report, Luis Carlos Almendarez-Gonzalez and his wife have been living in several different places, along with her son and several other children they have together.
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Miami Springs police said officers were called to the hotel Wednesday afternoon in reference to a disturbance.
According to the report, the hotel manager and a hotel employee told officers that the victim had ran up to them, holding his neck and telling them that his stepfather had “choked him out inside the room.” They confirmed that his neck was red.
Officers then spoke to the victim who said his stepfather had grabbed him by the neck and choked him for a few seconds after the boy tried to grab some food stamp cards for his mother.
Police said the victim’s mother told them she had left the room because she wanted to pack her things and change hotels to get away from her husband, but she forgot her food stamp card inside the room.
According to the report, the eldest child who was inside the room when the incident occurred was scared to speak about what happened, in fear of retaliation from Almendarez-Gonzalez, but confirmed that he saw Almendarez-Gonzalez placing his hands around the victim’s neck because of the food stamp cards.
Police said Almendarez-Gonzalez admitted to getting into a verbal dispute with his wife and getting angry with her son for “disrespecting him,” but denied placing his hands around the boy’s neck.
The boy’s age was not disclosed in the arrest report, and the name and exact address of the hotel were redacted.
Almendarez-Gonzalez was arrested on charges of aggravated child abuse and battery by strangulation.
As of Thursday afternoon, he remained held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center where his bond had yet to be set.