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Police: South Florida Mom Accused Of Trying To Strangle 6-Month-Old Infant

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A South Florida mother from Hialeah remains in jail Monday after she was accused of trying to strangle her 6-month-old infant.

A tearful Ailenys Carmenate, 30, appeared before Miami Judge Mindy Glazer on Monday morning.

Police say during the incident two of the baby's siblings were in the room, overheard her and alerted their father.

"I do not want to talk about the charges or comment about the case," said the father Randy Montano. But he told CBS4'S Peter D'Oench, "The kids are good. I took the baby to get checked out and that is it. You can imagine how I feel. I am good but I feel bad but you have to move on. Ever since she gave birth she has changed."

Montano said his wife had been suffering from postpartum depression.

Carmenate's mother also did not want to show her face but she said, "My daughter has actually been having psychological problems since 2011. She had postpartum depression before and she was not prepared to have kids. I have called the police before on her to get her psychological help. They have come but have never taken her away. She needed psychological help."

Carmenate was arrested and charged with attempted premeditated murder, child abuse, and a slew of others charges.

She broke down in court and started weeping when Judge Glazer told her she should have no contact whatsoever with any of the three children. She appeared before Glazer in a vest that is normally reserved for those on suicide watch.

Glazer said to her that she was to have no contact directly or indirectly with any of the children, including telephone contact or through 3rd parties.

She remains behind bars at the Turner Guilford Correctional Center with no bond.

An arrest report says her 9-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son heard their mother on the telephone saying "I just killed a 6-month-old." It happened after the mother reportedly got into an argument with Montano.

The arrest report said the 9-year-old daughter "immediately gets up and pulls the defendant's hair, bites her arms and kicked her, doing everything she can to save the victim's life."

Records indicate Carmenate was previously arrested in Hialeah in 2013 on insurance fraud charges and staging an accident.

The father told D'Oench that he expected that the biological father of the two grown children would be given custody of them while he keeps the 6-month-old girl that he is the father of.

A neighbor, Jose Perez had this to say, "It is something that nobody expects," he said. "Because all mothers love their kids and protect their kids."

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