KEY LARGO, FL – A Florida mother has been arrested for allegedly assisting her teenage son in evading police after he purportedly shot another teenager during a dispute over a girl last month. Cindy Mishelle Paniagua, 37, was taken into custody on Wednesday, charged with being an accessory after the fact involving a child, authorities said.
Her 15-year-old son, Jonathan Enrique Valerio Paniagua, surrendered to authorities on March 11. He faces charges of attempted murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon related to the shooting, which authorities said resulted in non-life-threatening injuries for the victim.
“I will not tolerate violent crime in this community regardless of the age of the offender,” commented Sheriff Rick Ramsay upon Jonathan Paniagua’s apprehension. The sheriff’s office noted that additional charges against the teen could be forthcoming.
The incident unfolded on March 8 when deputies responded to a late-night 911 call reporting gunfire at Key Largo Community Park. Upon their arrival, authorities found no one to provide information. However, shortly afterward, a 16-year-old male with a gunshot-related injury went to Mariners Hospital before being airlifted to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital in Miami.
The sheriff’s office reported that clothes and a wallet, matching the description of the suspect’s and containing identification for Jonathan Paniagua, were discovered submerged in a canal by the agency’s dive team.
Police say that Cindy Paniagua facilitated her son’s escape from the area following the shooting. Witnesses indicated that she discouraged others from contacting law enforcement despite knowing about her son’s involvement in the incident.
The pair hail from Homestead, approximately 30 miles north of the community park. Sheriff Ramsay criticized the mother’s actions, stating, “This young man potentially ruined his life by attempting to take another life, and sadly his mother tried to help him get away with it.”
Cindy Paniagua was released from custody after posting a $50,000 bond. She is due to appear in court for her arraignment on May 13, according to court records.