Hearing Reset For Miami-Dade Cop Charged With Child Abuse
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A plea hearing for a Miami-Dade police officer accused of beating his daughter has been rescheduled after he failed to show up in court on Friday. A courthouse source said the cop had a scheduling conflict. He had to attend a hearing in juvenile court.
His attorney, Eric Padron, told CBS4 News terms of a plea agreement are still in the finishing stages.
On March 19th, Raymond Rosario, 44, was called to his 14-year-old daughter's school, Pinecrest Cove Academy, after the teen reportedly was disrespectful to her teacher.
Once he arrived, his daughter was called to the main office. The school's security cameras then captured Rosario grabbing the girl by the hair and beating her. According to the arrest report, he slapped her in the face, whipped her legs with a belt, and punched her in the face.
The video shows two women in the office during the incident who failed to intervene on the girl's behalf.
The school released a statement that referred only to one witness to the incident, although the security video shows two women in the office at the time.
This statement was released through Academica, the charter school's management company:
"The school followed procedure in response to the unfortunate incident which occurred in the office. The witness reported the incident to administration as soon as the parent left the premises and the school immediately reported it to the Department of Children and Families who contacted law enforcement. The school is continuing to investigate the incident and protocol. The parent, who is a police officer and who often visited the school in uniform, surrendered himself to authorities. The person witnessing the act is an expectant mother who was unsure if the parent had a weapon. She says that at the time she feared for the safety of the victim as well as that of her unborn child."
At Rosario's home near the school Friday, a man's voice shouted through a closed door, "get off my property. I have no comment."
Rosario turned himself in on April 2nd and was charged with one count of felony child abuse.
His plea hearing has now been set for May 15th. Rosario, a 24-year veteran, has been suspended with pay since his arrest. If the plea agreement avoids a criminal conviction on his record, he possibly could return to work.
