A 31-year-old Florida man remains behind bars without bond today, accused of inflicting near-fatal brain injuries on his 7-month-old son. Anthony Lamar Hester faces a charge of aggravated child abuse after medical experts and young witnesses detailed a harrowing pattern of violence inside the family’s home.
Accordign to FOX 35, the case against Hester began on February 20, when detectives were called to a Deland home. Their arrival followed a report from Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, where doctors discovered the infant was suffering from bilateral subdural hemorrhages—bleeding on both sides of the brain.
While the parents initially suggested the baby might have bumped his head on a bed frame, medical staff quickly ruled that out, determining the injuries were the result of “acceleration-deceleration forces” consistent with shaken baby syndrome.
READ: Florida Pre-K Teacher Sentenced After FBI Sting Ends In Admission: ‘I’m Going Away For A Long Time’
According to court documents, the most damming evidence came from two other children living in the home. During independent interviews, both children described seeing Hester shake the infant when he wouldn’t stop crying.
One child even used a stuffed animal to show detectives how Hester would allegedly hold the baby over his head and “shake it vigorously.” The child told police Hester would scream “why are you crying” and “boys don’t cry” directly into the infant’s face.
The timeline of the injuries points to February 15, a day when the child’s mother was at work and Hester was the sole caregiver. That afternoon, the infant began vomiting and dry heaving.
Though a preliminary hospital visit that day showed no immediate trauma, the baby’s condition worsened over the next 72 hours. By February 18, new scans revealed a massive buildup of fluid and fresh blood on the brain, forcing surgeons to perform emergency surgery to save the boy’s life.
Investigators noted that the household had a history of volatility. Family members described Hester as having a history of heavy alcohol use and domestic violence, including a past incident where he allegedly strangled a woman and another where he fired a gun inside a residence.
READ: Scam Alert: Pasco Sheriff Issues Urgent Warning To Protect Seniors From Fast-Cash Tactics
In the probable cause affidavit, authorities stated that Hester “willfully tortured, maliciously punished, [and] knowingly or willfully committed child abuse” that caused great bodily harm.
Prosecutors emphasized that the charges are based on the repeated acts of violence corroborated by the medical evidence and the statements of the children who watched it happen.
Hester is currently being held at the Volusia County Jail. His arraignment is scheduled for May 21.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
