John Jefferson
Brandon Gilmore, inset, allegedly dropped a young child from a second story balcony on July 6 at the Sandalwood Resort in Daytona Beach, Florida. He’s facing an aggravated child abuse charge. (Mug shot: Volusia County Jail; Screengrab: Google Maps)
A 31-year-old Florida man is behind bars after he allegedly dropped a young boy from a second story balcony in order to “scare him a little bit,” Daytona Beach police allege.
Horrified guests at the Sandalwood Resort in Daytona called 911 shortly before 8 p.m. Saturday after they saw 31-year-old Brandon Gilmore drop the boy head first from the balcony, police said in a probable cause arrest affidavit obtained by Law&Crime.
The boy’s mother said she had met Gilmore at the hotel pool earlier in the day. The mother told cops she left her son with Gilmore while she went to take a shower. Witnesses said they saw Gilmore holding the boy by his feet over the second story balcony, and then letting him go. They then heard a child screaming after he crashed to the ground. A woman who saw what happened picked up the boy and took her back to her room. Others called 911. Someone went to the mother’s room to alert her of the situation.
Gillmore said in an interview with detectives that he told the boy’s mother that he was going to take the boy outside to play with him and “scare him a little bit,” according to the affidavit. He reportedly admitted to dropping the boy off the balcony. Surveillance cameras also captured the incident, the affidavit said.
Paramedics rushed the boy to the hospital with blunt force injuries to his head. First responders also were concerned that he may have suffered internal injuries as well. Police did not release an updated condition on the boy.
Cops arrested Gilmore on an aggravated child abuse charge and took him to the Volusia County Jail without bond.
The Department of Children and Families also responded to the incident and took a report.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
Read the full article here