There's blood on the floor. This is the Lake County Sheriff's Office. Can you have the MS come here? There's some blood on the floor. Deputies had just responded to an unsettling call reporting a brutal altercation happening inside an apartment. But the moment they arrived, it became clear that the situation was far more disturbing than anyone had anticipated. Sheriff's Office, COME TO THE DOOR. SHERIFF'S OFFICE, COME TO THE DOOR. WALK THAT WAY. WALK THAT WAY. WALK THAT WAY. THEY SAID SOMEBODY TRIED TO stab them. Well, we've been outside of your house for like 40 minutes. >> scared. I didn't scream at them or anything. I didn't want to cuz I was so close to the next way. On July 14th, 2024, deputies from the Lake County Sheriff's Office received an unsettling 911 call. According to the caller, a couple was fighting in the hallway of the building and the man had asked her to call the police after his girlfriend allegedly tried to attack him and their daughter with a knife. Fearing the worst, deputies rushed to the location where they were met with a scene that only grew more disturbing by the minute. I'm here. There's blood on the floor. Okay. Over here, too. Yeah, I'm so sorry. Can you have the MS come here? There's some blood on the floor. I'm going to say no 30-30 right now. On the hallway floor, deputies found numerous blood stains leading from the parking lot to the apartment's door. They knocked repeatedly hoping someone would answer, but no one did. And with each passing minute, their urgency to enter the apartment only intensified. Lake County Sheriff's Office. Can you see anything? No. What? This is the Lake County Sheriff's Office. I'm going to try and call that number. If they don't answer, can you at least try and see if I can hear anything from over there? Sure. Wow. Oh, it didn't move. I thought it was open. Sheriff's Office, come to the door now. THIS IS THE LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. IF YOU DON'T COME TO THE FRONT DOOR NOW, WE'RE GOING TO KICK THE DOOR IN. THIS IS THE LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. ENTER THE APARTMENT NOW. JUST KEEP WALKING. YEAH, HAVE YOU GUYS GOTTEN ANYWHERE YOU left through the side door? Same with the front door. Inside door 45 and multiple times, no answer. Try to make contact on the phone. I got it. I probably have it. The number? Who is that? I got the last one. THIS IS THE LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. COME TO THE FRONT DOOR NOW AND EXIT THE APARTMENT. IF YOU DO NOT, WE WILL MAKE ENTRY INTO YOUR APARTMENT. The deputies spent nearly an hour trying to call the couple and get someone to open the door, but no one answered. What the suspects didn't know, however, was that police had seen them through the blinds changing clothes and turning the lights off. With each passing minute, their patience wore thin and their concern for the child inside only grew stronger. Fearing for the child's safety, they realized they had no choice left but to force entry. Sheriff's Office, COME TO THE DOOR. SHERIFF'S OFFICE, COME TO THE DOOR. HANDS. HANDS. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN HERE WITH YOU? WALK THAT WALK that way. Walk that way. Walk that way. Walk that way. Walk that way. LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, EVERYBODY IN HERE, GET YOURSELF OUT NOW. COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP. I DON'T CARE. COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP. TAKE HIM OUT there and interview him. Okay. So, you you're not under arrest. All right, we just got a lot of stuff going on. Due to the fact of what just happened and that you're being handcuffed, okay? I'm just going to read you your Miranda warning. It doesn't mean that you're under arrest or that you're in trouble. And your your recording is on? Yes. Okay. So, you read my Miranda rights for So, why did you put me in handcuffs? To secure you. What's going on, man? Uh Why you guys come to the door? We scared. Scared? Yes, sir. Why? You guys are You scared of her? No. Well, there's we found a trail of blood. Are you all right? >> Yeah, yeah, that was after the fact. I just had got home. I had went to work and went to work. Came back. Based on what we we got going on. But they We've been Hold on. We've been knocking and knocking and knocking on the door. And nobody's answering. >> been scared. I've been scared. So, right now we're dealing with the situation. I don't know what's going on. Right. But because you I put you in handcuffs, Okay. I'm just going to read you this warning. It doesn't mean that you're under arrest. >> Okay. Okay? So, it's not you that's bleeding? No, no, no, no. It was the baby. The baby was bleeding? Yeah. Why was the baby hurt? I guess she got cut by something when they was in here tussling or whatever the case may be. Okay. There's cameras out here, so if they're if you're lying, you're going to go to jail. You understand, all right? >> Yes. The couple seen here was identified as 29-year-old Monae Tiana Hilton and 35-year-old Chaz Pennell. Both Monae and Chaz immediately tried to downplay the situation claiming they were scared of the police. For that reason, they didn't answer the door. However, the caller's account told a very different story. She reported seeing Monae shove Chaz outside the apartment while he was holding the child in his arms even stating that Chaz himself had asked her to call the police. And when deputies checked on the child, they discovered a deep knife wound in her arm inflicted during the altercation that night. Yet throughout the entire investigation, the couple tried with all their might to find a way out of the situation. Okay, so there was it wasn't you arguing I I came in after the fact and went to talking everything like um Basically telling them that like when I came outside Uh people know that call the police cuz I was panicked about being cut. I just got in from um doing trash at a funeral um down the road in Winter Garden. Like I said, it's not I'm doing I'm just scared. Getting nervous. Okay. >> know what was going on. I don't know I don't deal with police. But I don't We I ain't did nothing. I wouldn't do nothing. I was just trying to get How bad's the cut? Does it need a No, no. >> MS to check it out? Does it need stitches? Well, I would like them to look at the baby. The baby if the baby's hurt, I want paramedics to check out the baby. Uh Is the baby the one that's bleeding? Yeah. Yeah, we're going to have the paramedics to check out the baby. Yes, sir. Okay. You're all right? But when you read it, nobody means but I I need you guys if you're able to to contact your supervisor. They're They're both here. They're here. Okay. >> They're both here. Yes. So >> Because I You see it's three kids and I'm scared. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in court. You have the right to call or have an attorney at this time and have one present now or anytime during questioning. If you can't afford an attorney one will be provided for you before or anytime during questioning and one will be provided for you. If you decide to answer questions now, you have the right to stop answering at anytime during questioning. Do you understand? Okay. You wish to speak to me? Yes, the supervisor. They're They're right here. Okay. Ask Let them know that I want to speak to them. Let them know that I requested to speak to them, please. So that they are aware and know that I requested to speak to them. Well they got to do what they got to do right now. >> which one is the supervisor? The guys with the stripes on the shirts. Okay, can you let them know that I requested to speak to them? >> For what? In regards to being in handcuffs. Because I'm not I'm not I'm not the person to be in handcuffs. I supposed to be the >> Well, we don't know what's going on. Right. My kids were scared and I'm scared. Here he is. My kids were scared and I'm scared, so That's why I didn't answer the That's why you didn't answer the door? >> I'm scared. That didn't turn out any better, did it? I'm not I'm not familiar with like this kind of stuff. Both parents tried to play innocent blaming Monae's ex-boyfriend as the one responsible for the domestic dispute and repeatedly claiming they were simply scared. However, while searching the apartment, deputies discovered a knife broken into three pieces with two parts found in the trash and the other on the kitchen floor. Clear evidence of the violent fight that had taken place between the couple that night. Yet even when confronted with that evidence, the couple continued to cling to their fabricated story. So, you So, you weren't the guy that the witnesses saw running around with the baby in your arms just like you were Yeah, I came in after the fact. That was already after the fact that that happened. I had just walked in and then I heard like I didn't hear I just heard her screaming and didn't know like what was going on. So, when I picked my baby up, I seen what You picked the baby up when you were out here or inside? Inside. So, you weren't outside at all? Yeah, I did come outside. All right, that was after the fact. I came out here telling them telling that I seen somebody in the car. Uh so, I was telling them to call the police. I was nervous, you know. So, then why wouldn't you open the door for us? This doesn't make any sense. We've been here this whole time. You didn't open the door. I was nervous. We thought that you were injured, so I didn't want to be in the middle of it and be >> No, you told her to call the police. I did. All right, this ain't adding up. Yeah. I think that you all were in the argument. >> No, I don't think so. People were calling up saying that Yeah. that you were saying or somebody was saying something about stabbing a guy or something like that. And if you have the baby in your arms >> on me because I had a baby on me. I understand that, but I want to know how the baby got the injury. Oh, I don't know. Like You've You've been here this whole time. You didn't ask? No, I'm saying obviously something happened with the baby. Like that was the first thing I asked. Okay, so what happened to the baby? I don't know. I guess she fell on something. >> Oh, you told me You told me I could tell the supervisor that I I need to request to talk to them. That's the best Okay, yeah. I asked him I said, "Can you tell your supervisor I want to talk to him?" He said, "Why can't you tell them?" So, I that's why I'm like, "Okay, so here I You can talk to him. We got a lot to figure out because you've got injuries, the kids got injuries. There and I It's a bunch of witnesses going around saying that a female was chasing a guy around with a kid in their arms kind of like how he's holding the baby now. And then the male was saying "Don't stab me." No. Okay. That wasn't And that's why I'm saying I was scared. That's not an excuse. They said somebody tried to tell them They probably seen me running with a baby saying call the police. As the investigation continued, deputies quickly realized that neither parent was willing to tell the truth as they continued to insist on the same story about Monet's ex-boyfriend. However, their version of events began to fall apart when deputies pressed them about how the baby had been injured. Monet claimed the child was hurt while playing and had fallen from the bed while Chaz later gave a different explanation saying the injury happened during the altercation. Monet also alleged that the ex-boyfriend had assaulted her leaving a cut on her eyebrow, but the inconsistencies were impossible to ignore and deputies knew their stories would not hold. Realizing the couple had no intention of admitting what had truly happened, they made the decision both parents had been fearing. You might not have, but you got one now. >> How do I have a warrant all of a sudden? They're going to confirm it, but That's That is a lie. I've been paying my child support every week, bro. Which one? Hey, where she at? All right, somebody open this one then. Bro, what's going on, man? I went to court about everything I needed to do, bro. I need to call. I'm walking to the police station in the rain with no shoes on. With no shoes on. With no shoes on. Bro, I thought you said I wasn't arrested. You're not going to jail. But you said I was going to be detained. So why would I be going to >> You were detained. For what? >> you're not under arrest. Okay, so what am I detained for? No, she's on her phone. Huh? That's one up here. Bro, I just got my The police just pulled me over today, bro. They never said anything about no [ __ ] warrant. No, man. Come on. Have a seat, please. Sir. We're going to get right back to you. Have a seat, please. >> And I feel like you're not going to You know how I go. Come on now. Have a seat, please. >> You know how I go. I'm telling you the perpetrator just drove past you guys. >> Okay, well we've been outside of your house for like 40 minutes. >> I didn't know what I didn't want to I didn't want to I didn't want them I didn't know if he was outside. I didn't know if her dad was outside or anything. Bro, y'all know I don't have no [ __ ] Y'all know I don't have a warrant. >> No, sir, we're not making it up to you. I I I seen I see you guys I'm scared. Well, scootch your I'm scared. You just said that when you tried calling us multiple times after the fact, why didn't you talk to our dispatcher? I'm scared. Well, no, the phone I told him the phone died. When I called back, the phone died. The phone died. While the deputies were taking Monet and Chaz to the patrol car, other deputies began to interview the witnesses who shared the unsettling details of what they heard that night. >> All right, I tried to call but I got the wrong phone. We'll start with you and then you can pop in and say anything and just go on with it, okay? Yeah. So, what all did you see here starting from the beginning of all this now? >> We didn't see anything. We were both going to the airport to pick up our friend at the airport, so we both opened up the door and immediately heard a scream. >> Opened up the apartment door or the car door? Okay. Cuz we're right above them We opened door and heard screaming, wailing. Get the [ __ ] away from me. Male voice or female voice if you can tell? We couldn't tell. And you thought it was a man? It sounded like a guy voice first. He was like get the [ __ ] away from me and then I'm Stop smacking me. Stop smacking me. They were smacking and we were like We were like looking at each other and we were like we were kind of scared but we like backed it like backed up a little bit to keep hearing what's going on. And then like it just wasn't dying down and there was a baby crying and it was happening like the whole time. Um they were screaming back and forth. They were so close. Okay, so we were like Yeah, and then we called. So we don't we didn't walk down cuz we were like if we walk down in the middle of that Yeah, yeah, no. Crossfire. Yeah, we don't want to be in their crossfire. They were like call the cops. Call the cops. Well, it's kind of funny cuz when I got here nobody wanted to answer the door for us. Oh, that's funny but it's funny you say that because when we first moved in, it was probably the last week of April. Yeah, we're I'm aware of that too. We were also So home for Christmas. We heard gunshots and they also wouldn't open the door. Oh, yeah. So, it's not uncommon and they're always super loud. Like we just we don't call every single time when there's something loud. We're like okay, like certain but this one was loud. Yeah. Leave from me. And like their apartment next to us we walked by earlier and we're like whatever. They're always like a hot mess kind of when they walk out. We leave a baby or like I got All right, are either of you or both of you willing to do just a quick written statement for me just what you heard? The witnesses' account was yet another piece of evidence of the nightmare that unfolded that night inside the apartment, but the deputies' discoveries didn't stop there as the child's grandmother, who arrived at the scene, revealed something that only deepened the case. Which apartment? No, no, there's no Ain't no kids in there. Yeah, she just called me and told me pick her up at the moment it was fighting. Who called you? How long ago? About an hour ago. Go ask her if there's more kids in here somewhere and we missed them. >> Is that who went with the other guy? Go Go ask. I don't know. They stay right here. It could be. So, what What did she tell you about the little baby? Him. Oh. >> Let me see. Let me start. I was sitting home watching TV. We're going to get We're going to get this figured out, okay? >> what she said to me. Okay, you mind if I Okay. See the crying emoji? I'll explain it all to you after I read this, okay? Okay. What the deputies found on the phone became the ultimate proof against the couple. In the text messages, the couple's eldest child had revealed to his grandmother what had truly happened inside the apartment and the ex-boyfriend was not mentioned in a single message, a detail that aligned with the witnesses' statements that the altercation had taken place between Monet and Chaz. To the deputies, this detail was unsettling not only because it shattered the couple's story, but also because no other child had been found inside the residence at the moment they stepped in, only the victim. And when they attempted to confront the couple, the situation grew even more complicated. Now, where are they? You tell us. They're in the house. Where are they? They're in the bed WITH ME IN THE BED. THEY'RE WITH ME IN THE BED. PLEASE, this man was trying to get over here. >> the door open, where were they? They were in my bed in my room cuz crying. They're in your bedroom? >> Yes. Yes. OKAY. WHERE ARE THEY? AND THE APARTMENT'S STILL UP. DID anybody leave when you said they left? Three were there. Listen. No. Listen, man. Okay, so we're going to talk to them. Okay. Are all three of them there? Shut We're going to shut you in the door. Tell me. ARE ALL THREE OF THEM THERE? WHY DOESN'T SHE NEED ME? ARE ALL THREE OF THEM THERE? WHERE ARE THEY? WE'RE going to Put your leg in. PUT [screaming] YOUR LEG IN. PLEASE, SIR. Y'ALL CAN'T GRAB ME. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT. Anything you say can will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to talk to a lawyer and have them present with you during and before any questioning. If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, one will be appointed to represent you before and during any questioning if you wish. Having these rights in mind, do you wish to talk to us now? We're going to talk to the kids again cuz we already talked to the kids. So, okay, I don't mind that. Okay, what did the kids I don't care what they said, but what's going on? So, we talked to the kids and we we went through text messages. We just want to talk to you cuz I know earlier you didn't want to talk, but you know, What Whose phone did y'all look at? We didn't go into it. They showed us. To what phone? Okay, about what? About her trying to stab you. And that's what Y'all not supposed to go in nobody's especially a kid's phone. That's illegal. No, so you're not listening. No, that's a child First off, that's a child. You're not listening. It's okay. It's okay. Neither Monet nor Chaz was willing to cooperate. Instead, they continued pointing fingers at everyone but themselves. I just got here before y'all got right before y'all got here. >> you just got here. You stopped to open the door. Listen, this isn't my home. This isn't my home, first off. >> So, you don't have legs to come out to the door? >> First off, I didn't know what was going on. I don't know nothing about nothing. Y'all can't hit me with none of that. Y'all are trying, bro. Y'all can keep trying this crazy stuff that y'all are trying with me and y'all know it's going That's cap. I have proof that I was at a whole job when all this supposedly transpired, bro. And then y'all are hitting me with some other How do How do I have a warrant for something that I'm paying for? Okay, so you're you're sticking you're sticking with that story? >> Yeah, nothing nothing happened. Okay. And the reason why I didn't open the door is I don't know. She didn't want to open the door. I just listened to her saying the house is in her name. I mean, it's her house. All right, well on the screen is the warrant if you want to look at it. Um but if if not >> do I get hit How do I get hit with child Y'all had me like you guys were outside for like 10 hours or something. Like we were just in there letting the baby cry. I Okay, but at the end of the day, I don't know about that. Do y'all have proof y'all were outside for 40 minutes? Definitely. Okay, man. How is that child So, how you hit me with child neglect? We're hitting you guys with child neglect because the child was injured. He clearly injured. You guys knew she was injured. You guys applied a tourniquet. I just got here. >> Okay. I I told you. Although the couple denied their guilt with all their might, the children later confessed that they had been instructed to hide and lie to the deputies, even stating that the ex-boyfriend had not been in the apartment that night. While some deputies continued working at the scene, others transported Manae and Chazz to the police station, where the woman's outburst only escalated. Enjoy my talk over at the station. All right, ma'am. All right, ma'am. I'm scared, man. I got to go to the hospital by myself. I told this man, your girl told me to the woman officer told me that he would be able to speak to me. You guys had me in the car for hours. You didn't ask any questions. You barely Nobody gets any of my stuff. Nothing. The woman officer said that he was going to speak to me. And now all of a sudden me being afraid TO OPEN THE DOOR and injure him. And you guys didn't arrest THE PERSON. HE DROVE RIGHT PAST ME. DROVE RIGHT PAST ME. MR. LITTLE SAID HE AT WORK. HE'S NOT AT WORK. HE'S NOT. WHATEVER THEY TOLD YOU THE NAME WAS, THEY WAS NOT OUT THERE THE WHOLE TIME. And they was not out there. I'm not a criminal. A criminal. I'm not a criminal. I'm not a criminal, sir. I'm not a criminal, sir. I don't know who was out there. I don't know who was out there. So, I don't know who Exactly, but why you didn't listen to my side? You guys left me in the car for hours. You had a supervisor. I was not out there. I was not out there. >> right? I'm in the jail. I'm not out there. No, but you was the supervisor, wasn't you? Yes, and they told me to talk to you. In the end, Chazz was charged with resisting an officer without violence and >> [music] >> causing great bodily harm. His bond was set at $6,000. Hilton was charged with simple domestic battery, cruelty toward a young person, and aggravated Her bond was set at $14,000.