Mother Barred From Seeing 12-Year-Old Son Charged With Murder After Telling Him to Commit Suicide

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The mother of a 12-year-old boy charged with killing a Broward County toddler was ordered to stay away from her son Thursday.

Broward County Circuit Judge Charlie Kaplan issued the order after employees at the juvenile detention center overheard Guerla Joseph encourage the boy to kill himself. The mother was also heard telling the boy that his situation was comparable to the persecution of Jesus.

Joseph denied the allegations.

"I never, never tell him that. That's a trick. They make it up," she told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in a phone interview. "I'm not giving up, I'm going to keep praying for my son. I never said that to him."

She also said officials did not notify her of Thursday's court hearing

The boy is charged as a juvenile with second-degree murder in the death of his 17-month-old cousin in January. Kaplan ordered Joseph to undergo a psychological exam before she has any contact with her son.