ORLANDO, Fla. (TCN) — A 31-year-old father has been charged with aggravated child abuse after authorities allege he shook his 7-month-old son so hard it caused a brain bleed requiring surgery.
WOFL reports Anthony Hester was charged with aggravated child abuse on April 23. The investigation into him began when hospital staff called the authorities on Feb. 20 after an infant was admitted to the hospital with a brain bleed. He had previously been seen for vomiting but had been released. After he was admitted a second time, he had emergency surgery. Detectives interviewed family members and friends about the child, whose name has not been released.
According to an affidavit obtained by US Weekly, during an interview with another child in the home, the child used a stuffed animal to demonstrate what Hester allegedly did to the infant: “[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. … 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 told interviewers that Hester allegedly told the baby, “Boys don’t cry” whenever the infant cried. Another child corroborated the alleged shaking and said Hester would allegedly leave for hours when he was responsible for the baby’s care. According to the child’s mother, Hester’s wife, Hester was in charge while she was at work, US Weekly reports.
A medical review found the child’s injuries were consistent with abuse, and based on interviews, these injuries allegedly occurred when Hester was the only caretaker present, per WOFL.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood told ClickOrlando, “Babies that are 3 months old, or 6 months old, or 2 years old, they just don’t fall down and break their ribs. They don’t fall, break their arm. They don’t bang their head and get brain bleeds.”
Family members who spoke to authorities alleged Hester was a heavy alcohol user and had a history of domestic abuse that included strangulation, according to Law & Crime.
US Weekly reports that Hester remains behind bars without bond and will appear in court on May 21 to be arraigned.
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