A Florida mother was arrested Monday on charges including arson and child abuse after allegedly pouring hot wax on her two young daughters and then starting a fire in their kitchen while they were inside.
Meliza Campos Sanchez, 26, was taken into custody at her Miami home on the 4200 block of 95 SW Avenue. Investigators cited an Instagram video posted by Campos Sanchez on Sunday that appears to show the incident. In the footage, Campos Sanchez can be heard telling her six-year-old and three-year-old daughters, in Spanish, "not be scared," according to court documents.
The video shows Campos Sanchez dripping melted wax from candles onto her own leg before pouring it onto the hands of her daughters, according to the complaint.
Another video reportedly shows Campos Sanchez, wearing a mask and underwear, dousing clothing items on the kitchen floor with liquid before igniting them with a lighter, with her daughters present in the kitchen. A complaint filed in Miami-Dade County court indicates the children's ages were verified by their father.
Investigators stated the oldest daughter told them their mother had poured what she described as "hot water or agua" from lit candles onto them. The girl also told an arson detective that she and her sister witnessed their mother burn a shirt, which started the fire.
According to the complaint, Campos Sanchez was not interviewed by investigators as she was "sedated and under a Baker Act," a Florida law permitting involuntary mental health examinations.
Campos Sanchez's husband, Yusniel Cue, told investigators that he and his wife had been experiencing marital problems and that he had been staying with his parents for the past week. He also stated that Campos Sanchez had previously attempted suicide and that he had been unable to remove their children from the home, having contacted authorities over the previous week.
Cue learned about the Instagram videos from a friend of Campos Sanchez's. He took custody of the two girls, while Campos Sanchez was transported to a hospital.
Campos Sanchez faces charges of first-degree arson, two counts of child neglect, and one count of child abuse. She pleaded not guilty and has waived arraignment, demanding a jury trial. Court records indicate she is scheduled for a pretrial detention hearing on Friday.
Her social media presence frequently featured her daughters. In a July 16 post, she shared photos of the children at an airport, wearing matching outfits, and wrote in Spanish that they were her motivation, stating that "Everything that I do, every sacrifice [I make], every goal and every dream [I have], has their names." She added that she wanted them to know "their mom never stopped trying."