FERNDALE, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A Ferndale woman is in custody after repeatedly accusing her former partner of abusing their children.

Court documents state that the suspect has called 911 dozens of times since November 2021 to report various physical and sexual abuse against her two children.

She last spoke with a deputy with the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office in August of this year after claiming her ex-husband threw a table at her daughter. However, the deputy was unable to find any injuries on the child consistent with having a table thrown at her.

A Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office detective was assigned to investigate the abuse claims, which included dozens of reports across three law enforcement agencies, hospital visits, as well as sexual and physical assault exams. In all of those cases, probable cause wasn’t found to arrest the suspect’s former partner.

The suspect, identified as 25-year-old Merissa Saenz, also testified under oath that the children were being abused in an effort to get a no-contact order extended.

The court found that the allegations were false and denied the protection order.

Saenz was arrested on a warrant on Tuesday, Oct. 22, and faces malicious prosecution and perjury charges.