Investigators said surveillance video documented the encounter before officers found the 13-year-old girl restrained at a relative’s home.
HIALEAH, Fla. — A 34-year-old Hialeah mother admitted chaining her 13-year-old daughter to a fence and leaving her outside without food, water or protection from the sun, according to police and an arrest report.
Yashira Marie Maldonado was arrested on child abuse and child neglect charges after officers found the teenager restrained outside a relative’s home Saturday morning. Police said the girl was in good health when officers reached her. Maldonado is accused of acknowledging that her actions were wrong while telling investigators she had been overwhelmed and wanted a break from caring for the child.
Officers responded at about 10 a.m. July 11 after receiving a report of a disturbance, according to an arrest report. Investigators said surveillance footage showed Maldonado arriving at the property in a beige Toyota Camry shortly after 9 a.m. with her daughter.
Police said the video showed Maldonado wrapping a metal chain around the girl’s waist and securing the other end to the property’s fence. The restraint limited the teenager’s movement, investigators said. Maldonado then returned to her vehicle and drove away.
The girl was left with a clear backpack, clothing and medication, according to police. Investigators said she had no food or water and no shelter from the summer sun. Officers found her still attached to the fence roughly an hour after the surveillance video recorded her arrival.
A woman at the home tried to remove the chain after discovering the teenager but was unable to free her, the arrest report said. She contacted other family members rather than immediately calling police because she feared that involving authorities could affect her housing, according to the report.
Police said Maldonado’s mother went to Maldonado’s apartment and tried to persuade her to return for the girl. Maldonado did not initially answer the door but later came downstairs while officers were present, according to the report.
Investigators said Maldonado admitted placing the chain around her daughter and securing it to the fence. She told officers she believed the restraint would keep the teenager from leaving and described it as a safety measure, according to reports citing the police affidavit.
Maldonado also told investigators she silenced notifications on her phone after leaving because she did not want to be disturbed, police said. Authorities alleged she then returned home, lay in bed and watched television while relatives tried to reach her.
Surveillance footage and witness accounts were key parts of the police investigation. Video from near the home showed the arrival, the placement of the chain and Maldonado’s departure, investigators said. Separate footage recorded neighbors approaching the teenager after she was discovered.
Neighbors who spoke with local news organizations described the allegations as disturbing and painful. Police did not release the teenager’s name, and details about her medical needs were not disclosed.
Maldonado was released after posting bond, according to court records cited by local news organizations. She has pleaded not guilty and was ordered to have no contact with her daughter while the criminal case proceeds. Her next court date was reported as Sept. 9.
Author note: Last updated July 14, 2026.