A woman who said a two-year-old child was burned to death by a robber admitted to investigators that she made up the story, police said Wednesday.
Officers from the Monroe Police Department were called to Talleyrand Avenue on April 23. The 911 caller, Maria Esquivel, told them that a child had been burned during a robbery. She said a stranger attacked, robbed and later assaulted her. She said he burned the boy during the robbery.
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The toddler was flown to the hospital with “second-degree burns to his face and head,” police said in April.
While detectives investigated the case, the evidence found did not support Esquivel’s claims. Investigators discovered that the child had been left unattended and accidentally burned with incense.
Esquivel admitted to detectives that she had made up the story about the robbery and assault.
Neighbors said news of the hoax attack had kept them on edge for the past month.
“We have a closure on it,” said a neighbor, who asked to remain anonymous. “I hate what happened. I just feel so bad for the child and for all the trauma that a lot of people have had to go through.”
She will be charged with filing a false police report, child abuse – intentional act or omission causing serious bodily injury, and criminal obstruction.
The burned child has since been released and is recovering at home, Monroe police said.
(WATCH BELOW: Woman and 2-year-old burned during Monroe home robbery, police say)
