Girl tells Hamtramck police: 'Mom cooks me like a turkey in the oven'

HAMTRAMCK -- Police say she called 911 and confessed she was "harming her children," and now, 40-year-old Reyna Valentino could spend the rest of her life in prison on claims she abused and tortured some of her five young children.

Valentino was arraigned on felony child abuse and torture charges in 31st District Court Wednesday after police say she placed her 4-year-old daughter in a hot oven on Jan. 23 and singed her lower eyelids with a heated screwdriver. She then turned to her 5-year-old, beating her right leg severely with a pry bar. She later called 911.

Hamtramck Police Det. Ben Bielecki said in forensic interviews conducted with the children the 4-year-old talked about the abuse.

"She said her 'heart is hurt and broke because momma doesn't love me anymore,'" Bielecki read from the forensic report. "Mom cooks me like a turkey in the oven. I felt fire. It burned my back,'" he read. "She hurts me with a screwdriver all the time."

Police said Valentino called 911 around 3 p.m. to report the abuse.

"She said she is harming her family," Bielecki said. "It's extreme. It's an awful thing that's happened. I just hope she doesn't get custody of the kids -- ever."

After the incident, police said Valentino spent more than a week undergoing a psychiatric evaluation at Detroit Receiving Hospital.

Police said Valentino's husband was not home when the alleged abuse happened. Investigators said currently, there is no evidence the father was physically abusive to the children. The investigation is ongoing.

The couple also has three other children believed to be 7, 8, and7 or8 months old, Bielecki said. All five children are in foster care and doing fine, he said.

Social services is believed to be assessing Valentino's mental condition.

Valentino is being housed in Wayne County Jail. A preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 12.

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