Deputies say an 8-year-old girl described repeated punishments that left her hospitalized with fractures, bruises and scalp injuries.

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. — A Broward County woman was arrested after authorities said her 8-year-old stepdaughter arrived at school with visible injuries and described repeated abuse that included being jumped on, hit with cords and forced to take hot sauce and salt.

Melirose Joncky, 42, faces felony charges of aggravated child abuse and neglect of a child with great bodily harm after a school counselor contacted the Broward Sheriff’s Office on April 9. The case moved from a school concern to a criminal investigation after the second-grader was examined by medical staff and investigators said her injuries were not limited to one part of her body. Joncky has denied the allegations through statements described in court and in the arrest documents.

The report began at an elementary school in Deerfield Beach, where the counselor saw the girl with two black eyes, a forehead injury, blood near her ears and scratches on her arms and neck, according to investigators. The child also had an arm in a cast. Deputies said she told the counselor that Joncky caused the injuries and that the cast was linked to the same pattern of abuse. The call to law enforcement brought deputies to the school and led to interviews with the child, hospital care and the arrest of Joncky later that day.

Investigators said the girl described an incident from April 8, the day before the school call. She told deputies Joncky pushed her down, pulled her by the feet and forced her onto her stomach. While the child was on the floor, the arrest report says, Joncky stood on her back and jumped on her, causing pain. The girl also said Joncky grabbed the back of her head and slammed it into the floor, leaving an abrasion on her forehead. The account became a central part of the probable cause laid out in court.

The child told investigators the alleged abuse was not limited to that one day. She said Joncky used phone chargers to strike her and that the cords caused cuts on her arms, legs, back and face. Deputies said doctors later found marks that appeared consistent with a cord. The girl also described being choked until she could not breathe and being hit on the head with kitchen items, including a pot and a knife. Authorities have not said how long they believe the alleged abuse had gone on or whether more charges could follow.

Medical findings gave investigators a second record beyond the child’s statements. After the school report, the girl was taken first to Coral Springs Medical Center and later to Broward Health Medical Center. Doctors found fractured ribs, fractures involving an arm and feet, scalp hematomas, swelling in the neck area and a large forehead contusion, according to the arrest report. Deputies also said a forensic medical exam found marks near the child’s genital area. The girl told detectives Joncky scratched her there and poured hot sauce on injuries, according to the report.

The arrest documents also describe punishments involving food items. The girl told investigators Joncky forced a bottle of hot sauce into her mouth and made her take a mouthful of salt. She also said hot sauce was poured on injuries. The details were read and discussed during Joncky’s first court appearance, where the judge said the allegations raised serious concerns about the child’s safety. The judge said, “I’ve never read anything like this,” while ordering Joncky held without bond on at least one of the charges.

Joncky appeared in Broward County court with the help of a Haitian Creole translator. Prosecutors asked the judge to keep her in custody, saying the allegations and the child’s injuries showed a risk to the victim. A defense attorney asked for bond and said Joncky denied the accusations. The attorney told the court that Joncky was innocent and should be allowed to fight the case from outside jail. The judge rejected that request, citing the severity of the report and the safety concerns surrounding the child.

Deputies said Joncky gave a different explanation when questioned after being advised of her rights. She denied getting physical with the girl and said the child’s injuries were caused by acne, according to the arrest report. When asked about the black eyes, she said the girl had run into a wall. Investigators also noted a prosecutor’s statement that Joncky knew about the child’s injuries when she dropped her off at school. Authorities have not released the child’s name, and public reports do not identify her school beyond the Deerfield Beach area.

The case now sits in both the criminal court system and the child welfare system. Jail records list Joncky with an April 9 arrest date and pending trial status. The charges listed include aggravated child abuse and neglect of a child with great bodily harm. Public jail records showed one charge with no bond and the neglect charge with a $15,000 bond entry, though the court appearance described a no-bond ruling. Another minor child from the home was reported to have been placed in state custody, along with the 8-year-old.

Authorities have not announced a final charging decision beyond the listed felony counts, and a next court date was not posted in the first public reports. The Broward Sheriff’s Office investigation remains tied to the school report, medical findings and the child’s interviews. Joncky remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Author note: Last updated May 6, 2026.