The short version
- Metro Puerto Rico reports that the Carolina Prosecutor's Office filed four charges against Francheska Lee Ortiz Machado for allegedly abusing her adoptive parents aged 65 and 67
- On Oct. 19 she allegedly damaged a door with a metal chair then struck her adoptive mother in the face with it according to the Department of Justice
- On Oct. 27 she allegedly threatened both parents while holding a broomstick and trying to enter the home El Vocero reported
- A judge found probable cause set $40,000 bail and ordered her to prison with a preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 12
Charges filed in Carolina court
The Carolina Prosecutor's Office filed four criminal charges on Wednesday against Francheska Lee Ortiz Machado, 23, for alleged maltreatment of her adoptive parents, according to the Department of Justice. Metro Puerto Rico reported. The incidents involved her 65-year-old adoptive mother and 67-year-old adoptive father.
According to the Department of Justice, on Oct. 19 Ortiz Machado allegedly used a metal chair to damage the door of her adoptive mother's residence and then struck the 65-year-old woman in the face with the same object. On Oct. 27 she allegedly threatened both parents while holding a broomstick and insisting on entering the home, El Vocero reported. Prosecutors Kristia Díaz Pérez and Carlos Gómez González filed the charges under Article 127A of the Puerto Rico Penal Code for maltreatment of elderly persons.
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What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
Los fiscales Kristia J. Díaz Pérez y Carlos Gómez González presentaron cargos criminales contra Ortiz Machado, por maltrato a personas de edad avanzada, en violación al Artículo 127A del Código Penal de Puerto Rico.
Our translation: Prosecutors Kristia J. Díaz Pérez and Carlos Gómez González filed criminal charges against Ortiz Machado for maltreatment of elderly persons in violation of Article 127A of the Puerto Rico Penal Code.
The source's own statement, as quoted by Primera Hora. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
Court decision and next steps
Judge Annette Santiago Díaz of the Court of First Instance in Carolina found probable cause for arrest on all four counts and set a total bond of $40,000, Primera Hora reported. Ortiz Machado did not post bail and was remanded to prison. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Nov. 12.
The investigation was conducted by Agent Brenda Massa of the Carolina Criminal Investigations Corps and Agent Jesús Rodríguez of Carolina Norte, both of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, according to all three outlets.
Where the sources differ
All three sources agree on the defendant's name and age, the ages of the victims, the dates of the two incidents, the use of a metal chair on Oct. 19 and a broomstick on Oct. 27, the four charges under Article 127A, the judge's name, the $40,000 bond, the defendant's imprisonment, the Nov. 12 hearing date, and the two investigating agents. Metro Puerto Rico and El Vocero attribute the information to the Department of Justice while Primera Hora quotes Secretary Lourdes L. Gómez Torres. Minor wording differences exist on whether the chair struck only the face or also damaged the door first, but the sequence is consistent across reports.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not state whether the adoptive parents sustained injuries requiring medical treatment, whether they provided statements to police, the defendant's motive or any prior complaints, or whether protective orders were issued. They also do not indicate if the defendant has a prior criminal record or what conditions would apply if she posts bail.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Official Mujer enfrenta cuatro cargos por maltrato a sus padres adoptivos en Carolina
- Reporting Mujer enfrenta cuatro cargos por maltrato a sus padres adoptivos en Carolina
- Reporting Radican cargos contra joven por presunto maltrato a sus padres adoptivos en Carolina
- Reporting A la cárcel mujer por agresión y amenaza a sus padres adoptivos
How we checked this
Metro Puerto Rico, El Vocero and Primera Hora all reported the filing of charges, the judge's probable-cause finding and the defendant's remand to prison. The details of the two incidents rest on the Department of Justice account released through the outlets. The names of the prosecutors and investigators appear uniformly across the coverage.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.
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