A 26-year-old Miami-Dade mother is facing multiple felony charges after authorities say disturbing videos posted to her own Instagram account showed her pouring hot melted candle wax onto her two young daughters and intentionally setting clothing on fire inside the family’s kitchen.

Meliza Campos-Sanchez was arrested on August 17, 2026, following an investigation into a fire reported one day earlier at a residence in the 4200 block of Southwest 95th Avenue in Miami-Dade County.

According to arrest reports and local news reports citing investigators, Campos-Sanchez is accused of recording and posting two separate videos that ultimately became evidence in cases involving allegations of child abuse, child neglect and arson.

Authorities say her daughters, ages 3 and 6, were inside the residence during the incidents.

Firefighters Respond to an Allegedly Intentional Kitchen Fire

The investigation began on August 16 after Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and law enforcement responded to a report of a kitchen fire.

After examining the scene, investigators determined the fire had allegedly been intentionally started using an open flame, combustible materials and an ignitable liquid.

Investigators reported finding minor fire damage in the center of the tiled kitchen floor. Authorities also recovered items they believed were connected to the incident, including a silver mask, a red wand-style lighter and a clear plastic bottle containing a liquid believed to be rubbing alcohol.

Fire-damaged clothing was also reportedly discovered inside a trash can outside the residence.

The investigation then took an even more disturbing turn when authorities learned about videos Campos-Sanchez had allegedly posted to Instagram.

Instagram Videos Become Evidence

According to investigators, two videos posted to Campos-Sanchez’s social media account appeared to document portions of what occurred inside the home.

In one video, Campos-Sanchez allegedly used lit candles to drip or pour hot melted candle wax onto her own leg before doing the same to her young daughters.

Authorities said the children were only 3 and 6 years old.

The second video allegedly showed Campos-Sanchez inside the kitchen wearing a silver mask while singing and dancing and holding a lighter.

Investigators said she dropped articles of clothing onto the kitchen floor, sprayed them with a liquid and then ignited the clothing.

Authorities believe the liquid used as an accelerant was rubbing alcohol.

The physical evidence investigators reported finding inside the residence—including the lighter, mask and bottle—appeared consistent with objects allegedly visible in the social media footage.

6-Year-Old Describes What She Witnessed

Investigators also interviewed Campos-Sanchez’s older daughter about what allegedly occurred inside the residence.

According to reports citing the arrest documents, the 6-year-old told investigators that she and her younger sister were near the kitchen when they witnessed their mother set clothing on fire.

The child reportedly described seeing her mother dancing near the fire and throwing a glass mug onto the floor.

Initial reports differed on precisely who extinguished the flames. One report stated that the older daughter told investigators she used a bowl of water to put the fire out, while another account of the arrest affidavit reported that the daughter said her mother ultimately used the bowl of water to extinguish it.

Regardless of that discrepancy, authorities say both young children were present in the home while the fire was burning.

The older daughter also allegedly told investigators that her mother later brought the girls into the kitchen and poured hot wax from lit candles onto herself and the children.

Husband Says He Had Been Staying Elsewhere

Campos-Sanchez’s husband, Yusniel Cue, also spoke with investigators following the incident.

According to reports citing the arrest documents, Cue said he and his wife had been experiencing marital problems and that he had been staying with his parents for approximately a week before the fire.

He reportedly learned about the social media videos after one of Campos-Sanchez’s friends contacted him and urged him to call authorities.

By the time Cue arrived at the residence, law enforcement officers and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel were already at the scene.

Cue subsequently took custody of the couple’s daughters while Campos-Sanchez was transported to a hospital.

Mental Health Concerns Raised After Arrest

The case has also included significant questions surrounding Campos-Sanchez’s mental health.

According to arrest reports cited by NBC 6 South Florida, Campos-Sanchez was initially transported to a hospital for a mental health evaluation under Florida’s Baker Act.

Her husband later told NBC 6 that he had attempted to obtain help for her before the alleged incidents. He claimed he had contacted police multiple times because of concerns about her mental health.

NBC 6 reported that it contacted the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office regarding his account.

Family members have similarly argued publicly that Campos-Sanchez was experiencing a serious mental health crisis around the time of the alleged offenses. One relative told NBC 6 that the family believed she was not in a proper state of mind and needed medical treatment.

Those statements represent the family’s position and do not determine Campos-Sanchez’s criminal responsibility.

Defense attorneys subsequently raised concerns regarding her competency to proceed through the criminal court process.

During an August 21 court hearing, a judge ordered two competency evaluations. Those evaluations are intended to determine whether Campos-Sanchez is mentally competent to participate in the proceedings against her.

She remained incarcerated while those questions were being addressed.

Multiple Felony Charges Filed

Campos-Sanchez faces two separate criminal cases stemming from the alleged incidents.

Court and jail records cited by local media showed that she was charged with first-degree arson in connection with the kitchen fire.

In the case involving her children, she faced one count of child abuse with no great bodily harm and two counts of child neglect with no great bodily harm.

The allegations remain pending, and criminal charges are accusations rather than proof of guilt. Campos-Sanchez is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless and until she is convicted.

A judge also ordered her to stay away from her daughters while the cases remain pending.

Local 10 reported that the children’s father took custody of the girls following the incident, while NBC 6 later reported that the two children were safe and staying with family.

Immigration Hold Adds Another Legal Issue

In addition to the state criminal proceedings, Campos-Sanchez has also been placed under an immigration detainer.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged the detainer following her arrest, according to reporting from CBS Miami.

An immigration detainer generally asks the correctional facility holding an individual to notify federal immigration authorities before that person is released, potentially allowing ICE to assume custody.

The immigration matter is separate from the underlying Miami-Dade criminal cases and does not determine whether Campos-Sanchez is guilty of the state charges.

Social Media at the Center of the Investigation

One of the most unusual aspects of the case is the role Campos-Sanchez’s own social media posts allegedly played in the investigation.

Rather than authorities relying exclusively on witness statements and physical evidence recovered from the residence, investigators reportedly obtained videos that appeared to document portions of the alleged conduct.

The footage allegedly showed both the candle-wax incident involving the children and the ignition of clothing inside the kitchen.

Investigators then compared what could be seen in the videos with evidence recovered from the home, including the silver mask, lighter, suspected rubbing alcohol container and fire-damaged material.

The social media posts therefore became a significant part of the evidence described in the arrest reports.

Case Remains Pending

Campos-Sanchez’s case now involves several separate legal questions.

Prosecutors are pursuing serious felony allegations related to the fire and the treatment of her children, while her defense has raised questions regarding her mental competency.

Her immigration status could also create additional proceedings after the state criminal cases are resolved.

For now, however, the criminal allegations against Campos-Sanchez have not been adjudicated.

What began as an emergency response to a relatively contained kitchen fire quickly developed into a much larger investigation after authorities discovered the Instagram videos and interviewed the children and other family members.

Campos-Sanchez remains accused of first-degree arson, child abuse and child neglect in connection with the August 16 incident, while the court continues addressing questions surrounding her competency and the criminal cases move forward.