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Edmonde Devalon (Miami-Dade Corrections).
The Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office has charged 36-year-old Edmonde Devalon with child abuse resulting in great bodily harm. Investigators claim that Devalon withheld essential medication from her 15-year-old son for a period of no less than six months, although he was suffering from an undisclosed liver condition.
Due to this alleged neglect, the teenager’s liver failed, requiring an immediate transplant to save his life, as detailed in a probable cause arrest affidavit.
Authorities reported that during questioning, Devalon admitted to not giving her son his prescribed medication since mid-last year. She cited feeling overwhelmed by the number of children she is responsible for as the reason for her actions. Devalon also acknowledged that she was fully aware of the critical nature of the medication and the life-threatening consequences of withholding it.
“Post Miranda, the defendant stated that she had not given the victim his medication since the middle of last year due to being overwhelmed with the number of children she has,” cops wrote. “The defendant further stated that she was aware that the victim’s medication was necessary and without it being provided it would be life-threatening.”
The affidavit, which was filed on Feb. 11, did not say when the boy fell ill or when he received a new liver. It also did not say how cops learned about the situation, nor did it give the boy’s updated condition.
The alleged crime occurred at Devalon’s home on NE 195th Street, cops say.
Cops took Devalon into custody on Tuesday. She remained at the Miami-Dade Jail on a $5,000 bond as of Wednesday afternoon. If she posts the bond, she is ordered to have only supervised contact with the victim, per records. Her next court date has yet to be listed.