Shocking body camera footage has revealed the desperate fight to save a disabled six-year-old boy in Florida, after his mother allegedly lied to cover for her abusive boyfriend's actions.
A Desperate Scene and Contradictory Stories
On January 9, North Miami Beach Police officers rushed into a home to find a mother holding the lifeless body of her son, Mason, wrapped in a blanket. The autistic six-year-old had "turned blue" with no pulse, prompting an officer to immediately begin CPR.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crews managed to restore a pulse before rushing Mason to hospital, where he remains in a critical condition in the ICU. His injuries, detailed in a GoFundMe organised by his grandmother, include a broken arm, leg, and shoulder, along with a brain bleed.
The mother's boyfriend, Daniel Eduardo Romero, 34, initially told police that Mason had fallen from a bicycle the day before. When officers asked to see the bike, Romero changed his story, claiming the boy had fallen from a small, rusty wagon that appeared unused.
A Pattern of Abuse and a Mother's Admission
Romero later claimed he wasn't outside during the alleged wagon incident and said Mason's condition only worsened on January 9. He alleged that he and the boy's mother tried to revive Mason by throwing water on him before calling 911.
The child's mother initially backed Romero's false bicycle story but later confessed to investigators that he had told her to lie. She stated that Romero, who is not Mason's biological father, has a "short temper, anger problems, and previous unreported incidents of domestic violence." She told police she believed Romero was responsible for her son's severe injuries.
Medical examinations revealed the true extent of the trauma. Mason suffered brain and abdominal bleeding, and lacerations to his liver and spleen. A doctor confirmed these injuries were inconsistent with an accidental fall and were instead consistent with blunt force trauma.
Charges Filed and a Long Road to Recovery
Daniel Eduardo Romero was arrested on January 12 and faces charges including aggravated child abuse, child neglect causing great bodily harm, and providing false information to law enforcement. He is being held without bond and is scheduled for a court appearance on January 22.
Mason's grandmother describes him as a "beautiful, loving little boy with the purest soul" and a fighter from birth, having been the sole survivor of a set of triplets. While now stable, she confirms he has a very long and difficult road to recovery ahead.
