Melanie Beth Bernal: Texas woman arrested for spanking toddler, 4, with belt to leave ‘severe bruising’ on legs and buttocks

Melanie Beth Bernal, 32, was detained on Tuesday and charged with injury to a minor with intent, a third-degree felony

UPDATED APR 13, 2023

An arrest warrant was issued for the accused, Melanie Beth Bernal, when law enforcement officers were not allowed to interview her by her mother (Credits/Bexar County Jail))

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS: Investigators from the Bexar County Sheriff's Office reported that a lady was detained after they claimed she belt-spanked a toddler so severely that it left him with extensive bruising on his legs and buttocks. According to Bexar County Jail records, Melanie Beth Bernal, 32, was detained on Tuesday, April 11 and charged with injury to a minor with intent, a third-degree felony.

Family members were informed of the child's injuries on Friday, April 7, according to the arrest warrant document. According to detectives, the boy told his relatives that Bernal had spanked him; the relatives then dialed 911. The affidavit stated that a BCSO investigator found "severe bruising on both butts, cheeks and both upper thighs that were in the pattern of a belt in a downward diagonal pattern."

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He had 'acted up in school'

According to the affidavit, Bernal's mother told BCSO that she disciplined the child and had spanked him with a belt because he had "acted up in school" on Thursday, April 6. She denied BCSO's request to meet with her in person for a thorough interview, stating that she was out of town for an event. That day, a warrant for her arrest was signed with the bail amount set at $5,000, as reported by Fox29.

Another similar case

In another similar case, a 10-year-old was discovered with bruises on the face that were discovered by school officials. A Floyd County mother was charged with child abuse. The Floyd County Sheriff's Office reports that a constable was dispatched to Allen Elementary last week after school personnel saw bruising on the young child. The youngster explained to the constable that her stepmother, Allison Hamilton, 23, of Harold, had squeezed her face as a form of punishment, leading to the injuries. The youngster told the constable she had trouble eating and had bruises inside her mouth in addition to bruising on both of her cheeks, as per reports.

Both the 13-year-old boy and the girl in the house claimed to have been punished by their stepmother by having to put diapers in their mouths. In the house, there was also a 12-year-old girl who had scratches on her hips, which she claimed she got as a result of her mother reportedly "clawing" her. First-degree child abuse and fourth-degree assault on a child are the charges against Allison Hamilton, who was subsequently detained. A grand jury in Floyd County is now debating whether to indict the case, as reported by Wklw.