A 6-year-old North Miami boy with autism is in the hospital in critical condition after police say he was beaten, allegedly by his mother’s boyfriend.
Elizabeth Garcia, the boy’s grandmother, is devastated to see her grandson, Mason, in the hospital, connected to machines and tubes. She told CBS News Miami that her daughter’s boyfriend, who is now charged with beating Mason, has a history of violence.
Just last month, on Dec. 23, Mason was happily singing by the Christmas tree, a favorite activity he shared with his grandmother.
“He’s bubbly. Mason loves music. Mason is a hugger,” Garcia said.
Child opens eyes after days on life support
Now, Garcia is celebrating a small but powerful milestone: Mason opened his eyes for the first time since Jan. 8. That was the day 911 was called after Mason, who is autistic and nonverbal, went into cardiac arrest.
“I know my grandson was in pain, screaming and crying. And he just kept hitting him and hitting him,” Garcia said.
According to an arrest affidavit, detectives interviewed 34-year-old Daniel Romero, who was in the home at the time. Romero allegedly told police Mason had been outside learning to ride a bike with his mother and fell, but police say he couldn’t show them the bike when asked.
Police say caregiver’s story did not add up; mother says she was told to lie
Detectives also interviewed Mason’s mother at the hospital. She told them Romero was the one teaching Mason to ride a bike. When confronted about the conflicting stories, she said Romero told her to lie. She also said her on-again, off-again boyfriend would become annoyed with Mason’s behaviors, including rocking and making noises.
The injuries shocked a Miami-Dade circuit judge, who spoke about the case during a bond court hearing.
“This child was so badly injured—with internal bleeding in the brain and abdomen, lacerations to the liver, kidney and spleen, a fractured arm, and scratches to the face. This was not consistent with accidental trauma, but blunt force trauma. The child is on a ventilator,” said Judge Mindy Glazer.
“Mason needed to be resuscitated for 30 minutes. This boy was dead. He was unresponsive,” Garcia said.
Public records show Romero has been charged multiple times with battery and domestic violence, including strangulation, dating back to 2014, with the most recent incident in 2023.
“I feel like this is not the first time he’s hurt my grandson. I feel like he just got away with it before,” Garcia said.
Romero is now facing several charges, including child abuse causing great bodily harm. He is expected to appear in court again tomorrow, where a judge will decide whether to uphold the decision to deny him bond.
Garcia says she will be there to speak for her grandson.
