Allapattah Daycare Worker Sentenced to Probation After Abuse of Autistic Child

A former Allapattah daycare teacher has been sentenced to one year of probation after pleading guilty to abusing a 6-year-old child with autism.

Marlene Carballo, 53, was arrested in October 2025 following an incident at the Interamerican Learning Center in Miami. Surveillance video showed Carballo repeatedly forcing the child into a chair by pushing his shoulders down and flicking his ear. When the child resisted, she pulled him by the arm, forced him to the ground, wrapped her legs around him, and struck him multiple times.

According to arrest records, she also forced the child’s hand to hit himself repeatedly. The abuse continued for several minutes until a therapist intervened.

Carballo pleaded guilty to one count of child abuse causing no great bodily harm. In exchange for her plea, she will not be classified as a convicted felon. She must surrender her teaching license and undergo a mental health evaluation.

Judge Ariel Rodriguez accepted the plea deal, stating that probation was appropriate and that the defendant was unlikely to reoffend.

The daycare’s owner said the teacher had been employed for just nine days and had passed background checks with strong references. The center reported the incident to authorities and terminated her employment immediately.

Carballo declined to comment publicly about the case. Her attorney has not responded to media inquiries.