"Toddler Doe" - 4 yo - Accused: Francisco Perez - Cape Coral FL

Cape Coral FL ---- A man accused of beating his 4-year-old stepchild and pouring hot sauce
in the youngster's mouth is being held in the Lee County Jail.



Francisco Larzaro Perez, 24, is charged with aggravated child abuse.
He's in the Lee County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.Perez was arrested late Thursday night after Cape
Coral police detectives investigated reports of abuse at his home by the
state Department of Children and Families.Perez also admitted to making the child kneel on car
mat with the spiked-side up. Perez called the mat "Mr. Spikey," said
Detective Kurt Grau.Perez said he had to discipline the child about four times a week, said
Detective John Howes.The child had extensive burns from being dragged by Perez across a rug in
their house, detectives said.Perez "has an anger issue and has spanked the
4-year-old excessively with his hand, belt and other items," the mother
told officers, Detective Patricia Enterline said.Perez also punched the child in the chest and
stomach, according to the mother, another detective, Alisha McDonald,
said.The child has been placed with relatives, said Erin Gillespie, DCF spokeswoman.The agency is
investigating, Gillespie said. She said an investigation by DCF last year found no signs of abuse.

This abuse sounds like it was ongoing in that household and I want to see the mother arrested too. Was she the one who finally made the notification?