Queens, New York — A 32-year-old Queens mother accused of killing her 5-year-old daughter Fabiana Cabello was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court on a second-degree murder charge Friday and ordered held without bail, as her own father told reporters outside the courthouse that he had already forgiven her.
TL;DR: Francis Cabello called 911 on Oct. 14 and told the operator, “I killed my daughter.” Officers found little Fabiana Cabello in the family’s South Richmond Hill home and rushed her to Jamaica Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Prosecutors say the girl suffered severe injuries to her heart, eyes, lungs, and brain.
“I killed my daughter”
Police responded to the family’s home on 110th Street in South Richmond Hill shortly before 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 14, after Francis Cabello made the harrowing confession to a 911 operator. First responders found Fabiana unconscious, unresponsive, and bleeding from her nose and mouth, according to FOX 5 NY.
Officers immediately began CPR on the child. Assistant District Attorney Lindsey Ruzza told the court Friday that Fabiana’s condition was so critical officers did not even wait for an ambulance — they placed her in a patrol car and rushed her to Jamaica Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The New York City Medical Examiner’s Office is still investigating the exact cause and manner of Fabiana’s death. NYPD detectives continue to investigate what happened inside the home in the hours before the 911 call.
What prosecutors allege
In court Friday, prosecutors laid out a timeline of the evening. Ruzza said Fabiana appeared healthy and had been running around the home for hours before her mother took her into a second-floor bedroom, locked the door, and emerged alone roughly 45 minutes later — at which point she called 911.
Ruzza told the court that Cabello made several statements to police “in reference to not only killing the child but wanting to have killed her child,” according to the New York Post. Prosecutors also revealed the severe injuries Fabiana suffered, telling the court the girl sustained damage to her heart, eyes, lungs, and brain. Judge ordered Cabello held without bail pending further proceedings. She has not yet entered a plea.
Francis Cabello is charged with second-degree murder. Like any defendant, she is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
“I forgive my daughter”
Outside the courthouse, Fabiana’s grandfather, Franklin Cabello, spoke to reporters in Spanish about the family’s devastation. “As a family, we feel mentally and physically destroyed. We can’t think [clearly] but we put our confidence in God,” he said.
Franklin described his daughter as respectful and quiet — a woman who had always treated him with respect and loved her daughter. He suggested she “wasn’t in control” and had not made the decision “in her right mind,” saying he believed she may have been under some kind of influence. Then, with tears in his eyes, he added: “I forgive my daughter.”
In a separate interview with the New York Post, Franklin said his daughter had psychological issues, had been off her medication, and had been hospitalized about three months earlier. “I knew mentally she wasn’t 100% there,” he said. “I never would have thought she would have done something like this. The family is distraught.”
Police have not confirmed what, if any, role mental health played in the incident, and those circumstances remain part of the ongoing investigation.
Photo: Residential street in Queens, New York (file photo).
Frequently asked questions
Who was Fabiana Cabello?
Fabiana Cabello was a 5-year-old girl who lived with her mother and grandfather in South Richmond Hill, Queens. Family members described her as a healthy, happy child.
What happened on Oct. 14, 2026?
Shortly before 7 p.m., Francis Cabello called 911 and told the operator, “I killed my daughter.” Officers found Fabiana unconscious in the family home on 110th Street, rushed her by patrol car to Jamaica Hospital, and she was pronounced dead.
Who is Francis Cabello?
Francis Cabello is the 32-year-old mother of Fabiana Cabello. She was arraigned Oct. 16 in Queens Criminal Court on a second-degree murder charge and is being held without bail.
What did prosecutors reveal in court?
Prosecutors said Fabiana suffered severe injuries to her heart, eyes, lungs, and brain, and that her mother had locked herself in a bedroom with the child for about 45 minutes before calling 911. They also said Cabello made statements to police about killing her daughter.
What did Fabiana’s grandfather say?
Franklin Cabello told reporters the family felt “mentally and physically destroyed,” suggested his daughter had not been in her right mind, and said through tears, “I forgive my daughter.”
Did Francis Cabello have mental health issues?
Her father told reporters she had psychological issues, had stopped taking her medication, and had been hospitalized about three months earlier. Police have not confirmed how mental health factors into the case.
What is the medical examiner’s role?
The New York City Medical Examiner’s Office is still investigating the exact cause and manner of Fabiana’s death. Formal findings have not yet been released.
What happens next in the case?
Cabello is charged with second-degree murder and is being held without bail. The case will proceed through Queens Criminal Court, and she is entitled to the presumption of innocence as the legal process unfolds.
