A stepmother is being held without bond after being accused of torturing her 8-year-old stepdaughter in Deerfield Beach, according to an arrest report.
Melirose Joncky, 42, was arrested after a counselor at Tedder Elementary School called police on Thursday, April 9, after the second grader arrived at class with visible injuries.
The girl showed up with dried blood coming from her ears, two black eyes, a wound on her forehead, and a cast on her arm, according to Joncky’s arrest report.
The girl, 8, admitted to her counselor that the injuries, including the one that resulted in the cast, were caused by her stepmother, Joncky.
The arrest report contains disturbing details of the alleged abuse. The victim recounted that last Wednesday, Joncky pushed her to the ground, pulled her by her feet, and forced her onto her stomach. Joncky then allegedly walked on the girl’s back before jumping up and down on her.
The report goes on to say Joncky grabbed the back of the girl’s head and slammed it into the floor, causing a large abrasion to her forehead. Joncky is also accused of using a phone charger to beat the child. The victim told authorities Joncky choked her until she was unable to breathe, and used a kitchen knife and a pot to hit her over the head. Another alleged form of punishment was pouring hot sauce into the girl’s mouth and onto her genital area.
Joncky was charged with aggravated child abuse and neglect of a child with bodily harm.
During a court appearance, a prosecutor said, “Ms. Joncky admitted to the detective that she was aware of all the injuries that the victim was suffering when she dropped her off at school that day.” Joncky, however, denied the allegations.
The victim has been placed in custody with the Department of Children and Families. The girl also told authorities that her father had previously sexually assaulted her.
