BEL AIR, MD – In Bel Air, Maryland, a mother has been accused of fatally beating her three-year-old son. The horrifying incident was allegedly caught on surveillance footage. Gloria Elena Hughes, 37, is facing charges for the death of her son, Jason Garcia. According to reports, the child’s tragic death took place in the parking lot of a self-storage business early Sunday morning.
An off-duty sheriff’s deputy reportedly saw Hughes in the street holding an unresponsive child and promptly called for help. The video surveillance from the business purportedly showed Hughes repeatedly banging her son’s head against the asphalt and slamming him onto the ground by his legs.
The day before the incident, Hughes had supposedly told a local resident not to worry about her crying child before swiftly taking off. Earlier investigations found that the toddler had been in the emergency room after consuming a boric acid suppository.
Bel Air Police Chief Charles Moore said the incident is “heartbreaking” and has affected the small town deeply. He expressed their commitment to working hard to ensure justice is served.
During Hughes’ bail review, the prosecutor stated the case was, “horrific, heinous, barbaric, and unfathomable.” Hughes appeared disoriented, unable to tell the judge what day it was or why she was present. The judge ordered a competency evaluation and denied her bail.