PALM BEACH, Fla., March 7 (UPI) -- Florida police Monday charged Jorge Barahona with first-degree murder in the death of 10-year-old Nubia Barahona and released details of her February slaying.
Police announced the new charge at a news conference, telling reporters Jorge Barahona -- who had already been charged with the attempted murder of Nubia's twin brother Victory -- "repeatedly punched and beat Nubia" until she was dead at his home in Miami-Dade Feb. 11, The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post reported. Nubia was found dead in Jorge Barahona's pickup truck Feb. 14, along with her brother, who has been hospitalized for treatment of severe chemical burns over much of his body.
Miami-Dade Family Court Judge Maria Sampedro-Iglesia ruled Monday files containing information about abuse and neglect suffered by twins in their adoptive home can be made public. The ruling came despite arguments against their release by the Miami-Dade County guardian ad litem and the attorney representing the victims' mother, Carmen Barahona, the newspaper said.
Carmen Barahona, 60, was being held in the Miami-Dade County Jail without bail on one murder count for the death of Nubia, and seven counts each of aggravated child abuse and child neglect. Jorge Barahona, 53, remained in the Palm Beach County jail on a charge of attempted murder for allegedly pouring toxic chemicals on Victor. He has pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree attempted murder.
Department of Children and Families records released Monday indicated an investigator concluded during a Feb. 10 visit to Carmen Barahona's home there were "no safety threats present at this time" and no hazardous conditions were present for the Barahona's four children, the Post reported. The investigator had gone to the home in response to reports of abuse, generated after a therapist for Carmen Barahona's granddaughter, Alessandra, called a state hotline and said Nubia and Victor had been bound at the hands and feet and kept in a bathroom.
