Woman admits to Monroe police that she lied about robber burning child

MONROE, N.C. — A woman who said a 2-year-old child was burned by a robber admitted to detectives that she fabricated the story, police said Wednesday.

Monroe Police Department officers were called to Talleyrand Avenue on April 23. The 911 caller, Maria Esquivel, told them a child had been burned during a robbery. She said a stranger attacked, robbed, and later assaulted her. She said he burned the boy during the robbery.

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The toddler was flown to the hospital with “second-degree burns to his face and head,” police said in April.

As detectives investigated the case, the evidence they found didn’t support Esquivel’s allegations. Investigators discovered the child had been left unattended and was accidentally burned by incense.

Esquivel confessed to detectives that she made up the story about the robbery and assault.

Neighbors said the news of the fake attack had them on edge for the last month.

“We do have closure on it,” said a neighbor, who wanted to remain anonymous. “I hate what happened. I just feel so bad for the child, and all the trauma a lot of people had to go through.”

She will be charged with misdemeanor filing a false police report, felony child abuse – willful act or omission causing serious bodily injury, and felony obstruction.

The child who was burned has since been released and is recovering at home, Monroe police said.

(WATCH BELOW: Woman and 2-year-old burned during robbery in Monroe home, police say)