Coral Springs woman accused of biting daughter, striking her with knife

Mother angered after daughter didn't say 'hello' loudly enough, police say

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. ā€“ A Coral Springs woman was arrested Wednesday after she bit her daughter and struck her with a knife for not saying "hello" loudly enough to her stepfather, authorities said.

According to an arrest report, police were called by staff at Coral Springs High School after the girl went to the office with injuries that she said were inflicted by her mother.

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Police said the girl's stepfather went into the kitchen that morning while her mother, Heidy Valenzuela, 36, was making breakfast and thought that the girl hadn't said "hello" to him because he couldn't hear her.

The teen told police that he voiced his displeasure and she told him, "I did say 'Good morning.'"

Police said Valenzuela walked over to her daughter, struck her with a kitchen knife and told her to be respectful.

The teen said she put her hand up to block the knife, and her finger was cut.

Police said Valenzuela began to punch her daughter in the face and upper body.

The teen told officers that she grabbed her mother's arms to prevent the blows, and her mother bit her on her right forearm.

Police said the bite was deep enough that it broke the skin and caused the girl to bleed.

Authorities said the girl's stepfather eventually intervened and the girl grabbed her book bag and cellphone and went to school.

The teen spoke to her guidance counselor about the incident.

Police said Valenzuela confessed to getting into an altercation with her daughter, but claimed that she didn't punch her with closed fists or strike her with a knife.

Police said Valenzuela tried to make it sound as if she were defending herself from her daughter, but authorities said the girl's injuries were excessive, while the mother had only "superficial nail marks that she may have made herself, and she continually did while 'showing' detectives what occurred,'" the report said.

Valenzuela was arrested on a child abuse charge.


About the Author:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.