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Mother faces child abuse charges after allegedly smothering baby, recording it

SANFORD, Fla. — A Seminole County mother is accused of nearly smothering her baby with a pillow in December and recording it on her phone, but her family said it's not what it seems.
 
The 7-month-old is OK, but Samantha Salinas, his mother, is locked in the Seminole County Jail on child abuse charges.
 
Investigators said Salinas, 19, sent the video to her ex, who then showed the video to authorities.
 
Channel 9 spoke with the suspect's grandmother, who said the entire thing was a stunt. She said her granddaughter wanted to help with the baby.
 
Salinas' grandmother said Sanford police have the wrong story. She said Salinas pretended to cover her child with the pillow to get the father to help care for it.
 
Detectives said the four-second video showed the baby squirming and crying the entire time.
 
Channel 9's legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said Salinas is charged with child abuse and not attempted murder because four seconds isn't long enough for that charge.
 
"It would be impossible for the state to prove that this mother intended to kill that child, however the state can prove that this mother committed an act that could have reasonably harmed this child," Sheaffer said.
 
A judge ordered Salinas to stay away from her child until the Florida Department of Children and Families can decide if the suspect should be given a chance to see her baby.
 
"There is no past allegations, there are no future allegations, other than this one incident, which evidently was kind of prank that she pulled and look where she is now," Salinas' public defender said.
 
Salinas' next court date is June 21. The baby is staying with extended family.