CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — The Citrus County Sheriff's Office said a woman pleaded guilty to child abuse after she burned, bruised, and broke the arm of a 13-month-old child and tried to hide the abuse with makeup.
On March 22, CCSO said detectives responded to a report of a missing or abducted 13-month-old child. The child's grandmother told detectives that she left the infant with a friend, who detectives later identified as 32-year-old Karina Fortune, earlier in the week.
CCSO said the grandmother noticed the child's face and body were covered in makeup when the child was brought back home, leading the grandmother to believe the child was not her grandchild. Detectives later learned the makeup was applied to conceal several physical injuries and the child was hers.
Detectives said a medical exam showed the child suffered abuse, including extensive bruising, burn marks, a broken arm, a fractured collarbone, and severe dehydration. When questioned by detectives, CCSO said Fortunes provided multiple lies and explanations regarding the timeline during which the child was in her care.
According to CCSO, Fortune gave a confession to Detective Levi Garrison and admitted to stepping on the child's body, feeding the child scalding-hot formula, and then concealing the injuries out of fear they would be discovered.
"This is a very disturbing and tragic case of child abuse, and it's great to hear that the victim is now in a safe, loving environment and recovering," said Special Victims Detective Garrison.
Fortune was sentenced to 25 years in prison for aggravated child abuse.
"To keep hitting stone walls trying to resolve the matter—that’s not consumer friendly"
A retired law enforcement officer thought he took all the right steps when someone stole his identity and opened a new phone line, but he was still left with the bill.
