OPA-LOCKA, Fla. — A mother who waited more than an hour to call 911 for help for her 1-year-old son has been charged with child neglect in his death.
Opa -Locka police said they responded to the home of Jabora Deris, 32, on Friday, Nov. 6 and found her son unresponsive on a bedroom floor.
Police said Deris called first responders for help 83 minutes after she had noticed the boy was unconscious and foam was coming from his nose and mouth. The 911 call came in at 11:42 a.m. and, one hour later, he was pronounced dead at Jackson North Medical Center.
When asked why so much time had passed for her to get help, Deris said she had first contacted her sister when she became concerned about the boy. She also told police that she did not call 911 immediately because she panicked and did not want the other children in the house to see the medical emergency.
An autopsy was performed on the child the next day and the Miami-Dade County Assistant Medical Examiner reported that the victim had a broken femur on his right leg, a healed rib fracture, and skull fractures.
Deris provided a statement to police that said she didn’t know of any injuries the boy had sustained, but said he had two episodes previously that she knew of, but did not take her son to the pediatrician.
The boy’s aunt told police that on Thursday, May 28, 2020, Deris had contacted her to say that the 1-year-old had hurt his leg and that she told the boy’s mother to take him to a hospital.
Medical records from Jackson North showed that on Friday, June 12, 2020, Deris told hospital personnel that the boy had hurt his leg from falling from a bunkbed two days previously. Medical records obtained by investigators said that Deris refused X-rays for the child and that she did not seek follow-up care.
The investigation also uncovered that Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) had previously removed children from the residence; however, they were recently returned to her.
Deris is charged with child neglect and great bodily harm. Her bond was set at $7,500.
The investigation continues.
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