A cop mom has been relieved from duty after she used a taser on her kids, who are 12, 11 and 8 years old, as a tool for disciplining them.
Reports from Daily Mail cited that the children of Deputy Constable Xochitl Ortiz, 34, who is from Texas, told their father of the abuse and stated that they "do not feel safe" living with their mom. The father, who is in the process of divorcing Ortiz, then filed an abuse complaint against his ex-wife with the Harris County District Court in April.
The father's lawyers alleged that the kids, who are all boys, "made consistent statements of abuse" when assessed by child protection workers, prompting the arrest of their mother on Wednesday, May 18. She was subsequently fired from her job.
Following her arrest and removal as a member of the police force, Ortiz made her first court appearance to listen as the judge laid out the charges against her. Court records show that the taser was actually owned by Ortiz's boyfriend, Christopher Worthington, who also works as a police officer.
As of press time, Worthington has not yet been arrested nor charged in court. However, he has been relieved from his duties as well because he violated the police force's policy.
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Cop Mom Maintains Her Innocence
Per ABC 13, the cop mom used a taser on her children's buttocks, hands and shoulders while her boyfriend watched. The allegations indicated that the mom pushed the taser on her children's skin before activating it to the maximum, inflicting so much pain.
According to Axon, the company that makes the stun guns, the mom likely conducts drive-stunning, a type of aggressive pain compliance option. This technique can make the subject recoil in pain in an attempt to evade the taser.
Originally, Ortiz was held for a $450,000 bond but this amount was lowered to $150,000 after she presented her financial situation in court. However, prosecutors insisted on the bond to protect her kids.
If she is able to pay the bail money, she is banned from coming in contact with her sons, her ex-husband and her boyfriend. She has been ordered to keep a distance of 200 feet and is not allowed to drink alcohol nor have any guns in her possession, including toy guns. Russell Allan Neumann, the lawyer for Ortiz, said that his client has maintained her innocence and will fight the case in court.
This Cop Mom's Priority is Her Daughter
In Atlanta, a cop mom is dedicated to her job in the community but she told Fox 5 News that her top priority will always be her daughter. Angelina Singh comes from a family of cops thus she loves her job as an enforcer of peace and order.
However, Singh said the most important part of her work is when she gets home to be with her child. Raising her is challenging for a cop mom who has a 12-hour shift and no days off some of the time. But the working mother said she has some help from her extended family and friends who make sure that her daughter is looked after while she watches over the streets.