The emotionally disturbed South Richmond Hill mother who told a 911 radio operator that she had killed her 5-year-old daughter in her family home on Wednesday, Oct. 14, is being held without bail after an autopsy determined that the child had injuries which are found in cases of asphyxia. Francis Cabello, 32, was arrested and charged with murder at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where she was undergoing a psychiatric evaluation on Thursday night.

Cabello was taken into custody as a person of interest a day after her daughter Fabiana was discovered in an upstairs bedroom in the two-story residence by police from the 102nd Precinct in Richmond Hill, who responded to the 911 call of an assault inside the family home at 95-24 110th St.

Officers found the youngster unconscious and unresponsive and bleeding from her nose and mouth. The responding police officers rushed the child in their NYPD vehicle to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where she was initially listed in critical condition, but succumbed to her injuries and was later pronounced dead.

Fabiana’s heartbroken grandfather Franklin Cabello spoke with the media in front of the home that still had yellow crime scene tape stretched across the lawn. He said his daughter Francis had psychological issues and was in her bedroom when police arrived just before 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

“She was the best child,” Cabello told reporters. “Her mom didn’t deserve to do this to her.”

He further alleged that the girl’s mother had been “off and on” medication. He added that his daughter had recently spent a month in the hospital due to her mental struggles and had been home for nearly two months.

According to the criminal complaint, a detective from the 102nd Precinct stated that based on information provided by witnesses and statements and admissions from the defendant, Francis Cabello, that she caused her daughter’s death. The detective also stated that she had been informed by a doctor from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner that she conducted an autopsy on the victim and found she had sustained scrapes to her face, as well as petechiae, the leakage of blood from capillaries, to her eyes, heart, and lungs, findings which can be found in cases of asphyxia, according to the criminal complaint.

The defendant did not enter a plea during her arraignment late Friday afternoon before Queens Criminal Court Judge Jennifer Saint-Preux who remanded her into custody without bail and ordered her to return to court on Oct. 20.

Senior Reporter. Reach me at bparry@schnepsmedia.com

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