A father in Florida has been accused of abusing his 7-month-old son for months, and he allegedly shook the boy so hard that he caused a near-fatal brain bleed.
Anthony Lamar Hester was arrested and charged with aggravated child abuse in connection to the injuries he allegedly caused his son to sustain, according to online records.
Authorities claimed that Hester, 31, “willfully tortured, maliciously punished, [and] knowingly or willfully committed child abuse,” which resulted in his son being severely injured.
The investigation into the matter began on February 20 when detectives were notified that an infant was admitted to Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children with a brain bleed, according to the probable cause affidavit viewed by Us Weekly.
Medical personnel determined the child had bleeding on both sides of the brain, which prompted them to contact child protection services for an investigation. Doctors later concluded that the injuries were consistent with abusive head trauma caused by acceleration-deceleration forces, which includes shaking.
Officials began the investigation by speaking to family members, and they learned about a troubling pattern of physical and emotional abuse.
Two children that live in the home recalled seeing Hester shake the infant on multiple occasions.
“[One child] took the stuffed animal and placed it above her head with her arms outstretched, shaking the stuffed animal vigorously, causing the animal’s head to shake back and forth,” the affidavit stated. “Additionally, [she] demonstrated bringing the stuffed animal to her eye level, screaming at the animal ‘why are you crying’ while shaking it the same as documented above.”
The child also claimed that Hester “would become frustrated and scream loudly, directly at [the victim],” saying that “boys don’t cry” whenever the child sobbed.
Another child reported that he saw Hester pick up the infant and shake him more than once. The child also said that Hester would become angry when the baby cried and would sometimes leave him alone for hours at a time.
The victim began vomiting and dry heaving on February 15. The child was taken to the hospital, though imaging reportedly showed no acute concerns during the visit.
The infant went home, though continued to vomit the next few days and became increasingly fussy. Doctors ordered additional imaging on February 18, which revealed new bleeding on the brain and a buildup of fluid that required immediate attention.
The child’s mother told authorities that Hester was the sole caregiver while she was at work.
Officials continued to conduct more interviews, which revealed additional concerns about Hester’s behavior. Family members said he had a history of anger issues, heavy alcohol use and past domestic violence.
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Detectives also uncovered that law enforcement had previously been involved in incidents with Hester that included intoxication, property destruction and erratic behavior.
Hester is currently being held in the Volusia County Jail without bond. He is next scheduled to appear in court for his arraignment May 21.
It is not currently clear if Hester has obtained legal counsel or entered a plea.
