News

Mother of Jorelys Rivera charged in domestic dispute

CANTON, Ga. — Channel 2 Action News has learned the mother of a murdered 7-year-old who caught the nation's attention has been arrested after a domestic dispute with her partner.

According to a police report, officers were called the home of Joselinne Rivera-Ruiz in Canton. The report said Rivera and her partner, Maria Americano, had gotten into a fight and when police arrived, Americano was found locked in a bedroom with some children.

Police said Josephine Americano, Maria's daughter, called police.

Investigators said they noticed several bruises and scratches on both women when they arrived.

The report said officer began questioning Maria Americana and she told them that she had tried to leave the apartment and Rivera-Ruiz wouldn't let her. That's when Americano told police she then "popped" her partner in the eye.

Officers then started questioning Rivera-Ruiz, and she said Americano was trying to leave so she grabbed her and held her down.

When police asked Rivera-Ruiz about her bruised eye, she told them she got it after tripping and hitting her head on a piece of furniture.

They then asked Rivera-Ruiz if her and Americano had gotten into a fight, and she told them they had not.

The officer then arrested Rivera-Ruiz and Americano, charging them with battery and cruelty to children.

According to the report, Rivera-Ruiz's aunt was going to take care of the children in the home while the women were in jail.

The incident has been reported to DFACS.

Rivera-Ruiz is the mother of Jorelys Rivera, 7, who was found dead inside a trash compactor at the Canton apartment complex where she lived earlier in December.

Police arrested Ryan Brunn, 20, who confessed to killing the girl shortly after her death.

In January, Brunn hung himself inside his prison cell and died.