Child abuse trial in Miami-Dade centers on babysitter accused after girl’s 2023 emergency surgery

Key testimony outlines injuries, alleged ongoing assaults, and medical findings

A Miami-Dade County child abuse trial this week has focused on the testimony of a girl who prosecutors say was repeatedly beaten while in the care of a babysitter hired to help her learn English. The girl, now 10, testified in court in Spanish with the assistance of a translator, describing alleged assaults that she said occurred during English lessons in 2023.

Authorities and medical witnesses have described injuries that included a black eye, bruising to a shoulder and swelling to the right side of the face. The case centers on an emergency room visit that led to surgery after doctors identified a buildup of blood on the surface of the brain.

Timeline: emergency room visit, disclosures to medical staff, and arrest

Court testimony and investigative reports presented in court place the child’s hospital visit on July 29, 2023. Deputies stated the girl’s mother brought her to the emergency room that day and that, as she was being prepared for surgery, the child disclosed to a nurse that her babysitter had been hitting her on an ongoing basis.

Investigators have said the child reported being struck with a metal spoon and, at times, with objects described as a remote control or a phone. Deputies arrested Leonor Garcia at her home near Cutler Bay shortly after 2:20 a.m. on July 31, 2023. Prosecutors filed two felony child abuse charges, and the case is now being tried before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Carmen Cabarga.

• July 29, 2023: The child is taken to a Miami-Dade emergency room and undergoes imaging and treatment that leads to surgery.

• July 29–30, 2023: Medical scans are performed and reviewed as part of her care.

• July 31, 2023: Deputies arrest Leonor Garcia in the early morning hours.

What the girl told jurors

In her testimony, the girl described being hit in the head and shoulder and said she was punished for mispronouncing words. She also described alleged threats meant to keep her from telling her mother.

The child testified that she was struck for mistakes during English lessons and that she was warned not to cry or disclose what was happening.

Medical testimony and the disputed explanation for injuries

Medical witnesses have characterized the brain injury as serious, describing it as a buildup of blood on the surface of the brain that required surgical intervention. A pediatric neuroradiologist testified about the child’s imaging and the findings documented during the hospital stay.

Investigators also testified that, when questioned about the child’s condition, Garcia initially attributed the injuries to acrobatics such as cartwheels or similar activity. Prosecutors have argued that the injuries and the child’s account are consistent with abuse.

What happens next

With testimony continuing, jurors are expected to weigh the child’s account, the medical findings and imaging evidence, and investigative reports presented in court. The outcome will depend on whether prosecutors can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant caused the injuries and that they were the result of criminal abuse rather than accidental harm.