The Guam Judicial Center is seen on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Hagåtña.
HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — A mother is behind bars after her son reported to police that she punched his 1-year-old brother in the face and smoked methamphetamine around the toddler.
Maria Cynthia Valdes, 47, appeared in the Superior Court of Guam on Saturday and was charged with possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, family violence and child abuse stemming from an incident which occurred Thursday.
“The complainant … reported that his mother, Maria Cynthia V. Valdes was abusing his 1-year-old brother. … He further explained that earlier he heard (the) defendant yell at his brother, ‘If you don’t go to sleep, I am going to punch you.’ He then went to (the) defendant and (toddler’s) room. (The) defendant slammed the door and the door hit something that (the son) assumed to be (the toddler.) (The complainant) then observed (the) defendant punch his brother one time in the mouth before he was able to get between them,” the magistrate’s complaint said.
Valdes’ adult son also reported that she “regularly” smokes methamphetamine around the 1-year-old.
When Guam Police Department officers responded, the adult son gave them a green flashlight container owned by Valdes, which contained “several plastic bags” of suspected methamphetamine.
“He claimed that the container belonged to (the) defendant and that she constantly carries it with her and stores it on her desk in her bedroom,” the complaint said.
After confirming that the substance in the plastic bags was methamphetamine, officers searched the home to find the defendant in her bedroom.
“When informed of the reason for the police being there, (the) defendant became irate and began cussing at (the son). The house was observed to be in disarray and had a bad odor throughout,” the complaint said.
The son showed police where his mother stored the drugs.
“It turned out to be a location within reach of the one-year-old. On the ground were two empty bags with a residue that was also suspected to be methamphetamine,” police said.
Valdes was held on $5,000 cash bail.
