NYC Mother Confesses to Killing Daughter, Family Cites Mental Health Struggles
The mother, who had recently stopped taking prescribed medication, called 911 to report the death of her 5-year-old child.
A Queens mother was arrested on suspicion of killing her 5-year-old daughter after calling 911 herself to confess, according to police. The woman’s father stated that his daughter, Francis Cabello, had been experiencing mental health issues and had recently stopped taking her prescribed medication.
Authorities responded to a call at the South Richmond Hill home on Wednesday, where they discovered the child, Fabiana Cabello, unresponsive. Emergency services transported the young girl to Jamaica Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Police stated that Francis Cabello called 911 and told the dispatcher, “I killed my daughter.”
Fabiana’s grandfather, Franklin Cabello, expressed his distress and concern over his daughter’s mental state. "I knew mentally she wasn’t 100% there," he told The Post. "I knew something was wrong. When a person stops taking medicine for the sickness that she had, the person is going to suffer." He added that his daughter had been hospitalized just three months prior and had been "acting strange" for months leading up to the incident.
Franklin Cabello reported that he had been monitoring his daughter and was aware she had stopped taking her medication. He recalled his daughter stating that a doctor had authorized her to stop. "I found it hard to believe because in her predicament I was surprised that the doctor would authorize that without seeing her," he said.
Francis Cabello was being questioned by police, and charges were pending as of Thursday. The family described themselves as distraught over the tragedy.