Judge: 12-year-old boy can stay with older sister after custodial dad charged with aggravated child abuse (Miami, Florida)

We first reported on this case a few days ago. Even at that time, we suspected that ADOLFO GUZMAN was a custodial father. Turns out we were correct. Still no word on what happened to the mother of these kids, or how this guy was able to move from the Dominican Republic to the U.S. with three kids.

http://www.local10.com/news/judge-to-decide-where-boy-lives-after-fathers-child-abuse-arrest/-/1717324/20139690/-/cath1gz/-/index.html

Judge: Boy can stay with older sister

Adolfo Guzman charged with aggravated child abuse

Author: Benjamin Candea, Senior Web Producer
Alexandra Fruin, Producer

Published On: May 14 2013 10:49:52 AM EDT
Updated On: May 14 2013 02:19:41 PM EDT

MIAMI - A dependency court judge ruled a 12-year-old boy can stay with his older sister after their father was charged with tying the boy to a pole with a bicycle cable wire.

The judge ruled Adolfo Guzman's son could stay in their Miami Beach apartment with his 15 and 21-year-old sisters under the supervision of the Department of Children and Families.

Guzman can have no contact with his son until his criminal case is resolved, the judge ruled.. He can see his 15-year-old daughter.

Police arrested Guzman on Sunday and charged him with aggravated child abuse. Neighbors said Guzman hadn't been back to his apartment since his arrest.

According to an arrest report, Guzman's son left their apartment without permission Saturday. When he returned home, Guzman threatened to tie him up if he continued to wander off. A neighbor said Guzman woke up and his son wasn't home.

On Sunday, the boy left again without permission. When he returned, Guzman used the cable wire to tie him to the pole outside their apartment, according to the arrest report.

Passer-bys flagged police officers down, who had the Miami Beach Fire Department cut the boy loose.

"It's all my fault. It's not his fault," the 12-year-old boy told Local 10's Glenna Milberg. "It's all my fault because I'm the one who got out of the house without permission. I came late."

The boy is the youngest of Guzman's children. A single father, Guzman raises his three children on a disability check. He moved to the U.S. from the Dominican Republican about three years ago.

"I don't say nothing because he deserved that because he made my dad do that," said the boy's sister.

"He never hit me in my life. Not even my sisters," said the boy.