A Florida boy desperately wanted to get away from his dad’s girlfriend, so he used a sticky note to get help. The 9-year-old boy allegedly wrote “pleas help us” on a pink sticky note on March 4, 2025. It took more than a month, but an investigation led to the arrest of Katrina Carrillo, 25, on April 23. The child told police that Carrillo beat him, but the woman denied the accusations. Now, she’s facing a felony child abuse charge.
According to Law & Crime, the boy scribbled “pleas help us” on a sticky note. It’s unclear where he left the note, but investigators took the accusation seriously. The Florida Department of Children and Families intervened, taking the boy and his brother away from Carrillo. During an interview with police, the boy made shocking accusations.
Per a police report obtained by WPLG, the 9-year-old told investigators that Carrillo abused him and that during one beating, he felt like he “was not breathing.” The woman allegedly put a blanket and pillow over his face.
When Carrillo met with police, she denied the allegations, per the news outlet. Police noted in a report that the woman claimed, “She disciplines her children and not her boyfriend’s.”
Police ultimately arrested Carrillo and booked her in Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. A judge set her bond at $5,000 and ordered Carrillo to stay away from the boy. According to online records, she is no longer in police custody.
The news of Carrillo’s arrest has resulted in mixed reactions online.
“When I was a kid I would write “help” on the foggy car window while my mother was driving. She was not abusing me I was just a child.. Children tend to be very creative and imaginative, sometimes even dramatic. For example, I bet many of you threatened to run away when you were upset with your parents,” one person commented on WPLG’s story. “I cant believe that the Miami-Dade County court system is now prosecuting individuals based on alleged statements of abuse made by 4 and 9 year old children. There are children who are actually being abused but parents can get arrested for a post-it note? I can see the criminal justice system is only interested in the proceeds from court costs and bond money.”
Another person disagreed and commented, “Horrible person lock her up! Delusional people in these comments.”
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child) or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
