Mother charged with child abuse and torture

A Detroit mother of five was charged with child abuse and torture Wednesday after she called the police on herself.

Reyna Valentina, of Hamtramck, is accused of putting her 4-year-old daughter inside a heated oven and burning her eyes with a metal object.

"She stated that, 'Mom cooks me like a turkey in the oven'," said Hamtramck police Detective Ben Bilecki. "The youngest daughter also said, 'Mama gave me the boo boos in my eyes.'"



The 40-year-old mother is also accused of beating her 6-year-old with a metal bar. Valentina has been charged with two counts of first-degree child abuse and two counts of torture. Valentina's children are ages 9 months old, 4 years, 6 years, 8 years and 9 years old.

"All of the kids are terrified of their mother, the defendant in this case. They do not want to go back to her," Bilecki said. The children have been taken into protective custody.

If convicted, Valentina could spend the rest of her life in prison. Her preliminary exam is set for Feb. 12.