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Published 13:32 02 Aug 2026 GMT
A Florida dad has been charged with murder, two years on from the tragic death of his infant son.
James Westervelt, 38, was charged with first-degree murder on Thursday (July 30), after he thought it would be fun to use a leaf blower on his baby boy.
The decision comes two years after his six-month-old died in hospital, as reported by WAFF48.
Police explained that the boy was mere months old when the dad allegedly blew air from the power tool towards the baby, for a joke.
Following the incident, the infant boy was put on life support, as per Marion County court records filed by prosecutors.
The child would die soon after, with doctors attributing the death to blunt head trauma, which was caused by Westervelt bouncing the child, as "shaken baby syndrome" was cited in filings.
The Florida dad reportedly admitted to investigators that he used a leaf blower on his boy because he thought it was funny, leading to the child's death.
Marion County Sheriff's Office was called to a location for an unresponsive infant back in August 2024, leading to his arrest.
Westervelt is currently in custody in Marion County, with a court date set for September.
As well as being charged with first-degree murder, the Florida man previously faced child abuse charges stemming from the fatal incident before the fresh charges.
Videos surfaced of Westervelt with his son when he was younger, where he was filming himself using a leafblower on his baby's face, leading to deputies arresting him in the first place.
Following the revelation of the baby's cause of death, it was considered a homicide and the father has been charged.
Authorities said that Westervelt had more children living in his home.
The man from Bellevue had experienced run-ins with the law in the past too, having been charged with possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in May, according to court records.
In relation to these charges, his next scheduled court date is on August 5 for a pretrial conference.
Zack Moore, from the Marion County Sheriff's Office, spoke to local outlet WESH 2 News about the fresh charge, revealing how they managed to gather enough evidence to prove he had done it.
He explained: "Eventually, once Westervelt was arrested in April of this year for child abuse on the same victim, they were able to interview him again while in jail, and it had been a couple years since he had provided his initial statement, and this time he provided enough contradicting evidence.
"Basically, we worked with the state attorney’s office and determined there was enough to arrest him for murder."
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Published 16:05 20 Jun 2025 GMT
Published 17:24 01 Dec 2025 GMT
A young father-to-be from Florida regained consciousness after a serious car crash — just long enough to make a statement to the police.
He then sadly passed away, leaving investigators to look into the claims that he made against his pregnant girlfriend, per the New York Post.
Daniel Waterman, a 22-year-old originally from the Syracuse area in New York, had been riding in the passenger seat while his girlfriend, 24-year-old Leigha Mumby, was behind the wheel.
The couple were driving along Interstate 95 in Flagler County, Florida, on Super Bowl Sunday this past February when tensions reportedly erupted into a fight.
According to court documents, Waterman later told authorities that the argument turned especially dark when Mumby allegedly said: “I don’t care what happens. You’ll get what you deserve,” moments before allegedly crashing the car into a tree.
Both sustained serious injuries in the wreck.
Waterman was left in a coma, while Mumby — who was pregnant at the time — also suffered injuries but survived. Her unborn baby made it through the crash and has since been born.
Daniel Waterman sadly passed away. Credit: Tiffany Waterman / Facebook
Waterman’s mother, Heather Waterman, told syracuse.com that her son initially went into a coma after the accident but eventually regained enough consciousness in May to communicate using a whiteboard.
It was then, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by People, that he implicated Mumby in the crash.
The couple had reportedly started arguing after Mumby discovered she was pregnant and Waterman received a text message from a woman back in New York.
Heather Waterman said the message was harmless — just a Super Bowl-related exchange with a friend who supported the Philadelphia Eagles, while her son rooted for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Court records allege that Mumby began driving erratically after the argument and ultimately slammed the vehicle into a tree. However, Mumby reportedly told investigators that she doesn’t recall what caused the crash.
Despite her initial charges of reckless driving causing serious bodily injury and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in July, the legal stakes escalated after Waterman’s condition worsened.
After being transferred from Florida to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse to continue his recovery, he died on October 8 from pneumonia, according to syracuse.com.
Following his death, Mumby was charged with vehicular homicide, People reported, citing law enforcement.
Waterman allegedly told police that his girlfriend was behind the crash. Credit: Tiffany Waterman / Facebook
Now, Waterman’s family is focused on gaining custody of the child they believe to be his. Heather Waterman said they plan to prove paternity and bring the baby to New York.
“We’ll do whatever we can do to bring her to us,” she told Syracuse.com. “He wanted her raised in New York with his family.”
Though his health battles ultimately proved too much, Heather remembered her son’s resilience in his final months.
“He never gave up,” she said. “This whole entire time, he literally never gave up.”
Published 10:08 22 Jun 2025 GMT
An 18-month-old Florida toddler died after being left in a hot truck for over three hours while his father allegedly got a haircut and drank at a local bar, authorities announced.
On Thursday, June 19, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office and the Ormond Beach Police Department arrested 33-year-old Scott Allen Gardner of South Daytona on charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect causing great bodily harm.
The arrest came nearly two weeks after the June 6 death of his son, Sebastian Gardner, PEOPLE reports.
According to Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood, Scott Gardner left his son in the backseat of his truck around 11:30AM that morning, with no air conditioning. The truck's windows were reportedly down, and a small battery-powered fan had been aimed at the child.
Gardner then entered Classic Cuts for a haircut and later walked to Hanky Panky's Lounge, located nearby in Ormond Beach, where he remained until at least 2:00PM, according to investigators.
"He finished his haircut and headed to Hanky Panky's around noon, where he stayed and drank until at least 2:00PM," the sheriff’s office stated.
Authorities say Gardner did briefly exit the bar to inspect a vehicle after another customer hit a bartender’s car but did not check on Sebastian during that time. He then went back inside the bar and ordered more drinks.
At approximately 2:40PM, Gardner left the bar, drove a short distance home, and called 911 to report that his son was not breathing.
“My son’s not breathing. A year and a half. Oh my god. He just had his eyes open. Oh my god, Sebastian,” Gardner is heard saying in the 911 call, which was later released by authorities.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found Sebastian unresponsive. The toddler had already gone into rigor mortis, and CPR could not be performed.
He was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead at 3:30PM.
Sheriff Chitwood said Sebastian’s temperature was over 107 degrees when he arrived at the hospital. Medical staff estimated the temperature inside the vehicle reached 111 degrees, per a news release. It was reported to be 92 degrees outside that day.
Following the incident, Gardner allegedly returned to Hanky Panky's Lounge with his mother and remained there until almost midnight. “Witnesses at the bar said the pair ‘didn’t seem as distraught as you would expect someone to be for the child having just passed,’” one investigator said, adding this matched Gardner’s demeanor at the hospital.
Investigators stated that Gardner initially gave multiple false accounts of what occurred. Sheriff Chitwood described Gardner’s behavior bluntly during a news conference on June 20: “This father is a human piece of garbage. And he’s a lying sack of s***.”
“There’s no logical reason why this little guy is dead,” Chitwood said. “We’ve seen it, people forget their kids in the back seat, but this was completely different. This was intentional. That’s what the charges are for.”
Gardner was arrested at his mother’s home in Ormond Beach. Video footage posted to the Volusia Sheriff's Office's Facebook page shows the arrest occurring in a screened-in outdoor area. The same Ormond Beach Police officer who had attempted to revive Sebastian placed Gardner in handcuffs.
As he was led away, his mother, Jody Thereault, was heard saying, “Honey, I love you.” Gardner replied, “Love you, guys!” An unidentified man added: “Say goodbye, because you're not going to come back here again.”
Gardner was booked into the county jail on a $100,000 bond.
A GoFundMe campaign was launched before Gardner’s arrest to raise money for Sebastian’s funeral expenses. It raised $2,828 before being closed. “During this time of profound grief, as we [mourn] the sudden and unexpected passing of little Sebastian,” the fundraiser read, “I ask for prayers for Scott Gardner, Jodi (Martineau) Thereault and family… No parent should ever have to experience the pain of losing a child.”
The family described Sebastian as a “bright light” who will “forever remain in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.”
Sebastian is the seventh child in the U.S. to die in a hot car in 2025.
Last year, nearly 40 children died from heatstroke after being left in vehicles, per the Daily Mail. According to Kids and Car Safety, nearly 90 percent of these children are under the age of three, often left unknowingly by a caregiver.
The organization recommends leaving baby items in the front seat or always opening the back door when exiting a vehicle as preventive measures. Parents are also urged to keep keys out of children’s reach to avoid unsupervised access to parked cars.
Our thoughts go out to everybody impacted by this tragedy.
Published 10:16 29 Jan 2023 GMT
A couple from North Carolina has been arrested and charged with murder after their adopted toddler son passed away from an alleged series of "exorcisms".
As reported by NBC News, the Surry County Sheriff’s Office said the police received a call on January 6 from Child Protective Services about a child who had been rushed to the hospital after suffering from a "medical emergency" the previous day.
The child in question was four-year-old Skyler Wilson and he tragically died on January 9 "from injuries related to the abuse sustained by his parents," authorities said, per the outlet.
On January 13, parents Joseph Wilson, 41, and Jodi Wilson, 38, were taken into custody and are now being held at the Surry County Detention Center under no bond for the alleged abuse they inflicted on the boy, according to a press release from the police.
Read the press release below:"This is a tragic event that resulted in the death of a precious child way too soon," Sheriff Steve C. Hiatt said in his statement. "Please remember the other siblings involved in this situation as well as the investigators who worked tirelessly on this case in your thoughts and prayers."
The sheriff's office has revealed that the Wilsons have two biological children and were foster parents to two other children. The children have now been sent to the Department of Social Services, as noted by Mount Airy News.
According to People, documents disclosed that the father allegedly received a text message from his wife about how she was having trouble with "swaddling" Skyler.
She allegedly also sent a picture of the toddler "wrapped in a sheet or a blanket face-down on the Wilsons' living room floor with duct tape attaching him to the floor".
This prompted Joseph to call 911 to report that Skyler was having a seizure, however, an investigator reportedly heard a female voice in the background exclaim "It's my fault," per the warrants obtained by WFMY.
In addition to this, the publication shared that a former foster parent of the boy and his brother revealed to law enforcement that a month before his tragic death, she filed a report with the Department of Social Services after being worried for their wellbeing.
Furthermore, the former foster parent claimed that Jodi told her about allegedly restricting the boys' food, isolating them, and performing "exorcisms" which alarmed her.
The police searched the pair's home after their arrest and reportedly discovered turned-up wrist and ankle restraints as well as digital footage that apparently recorded the shocking abuse.
The bonds were allegedly used to control the boy during a "swaddling" technique Jodi discovered from Nancy Thomas - who is a "professional therapeutic parent" - according to Fox8.
Speaking to the outlet, Skyler's former foster mother described him as a loving social butterfly, saying: "He was so tiny and small but had a heart three times bigger than he was." She added: "I want to love unconditionally and remember his smile and the little things."
The Wilsons will appear in court on February 2. It has not been stated if they have obtained an attorney.
Published 13:57 31 Oct 2025 GMT
A young father-to-be from Florida regained consciousness after a serious car crash — just long enough to make a statement to the police.
He then sadly passed away, leaving investigators to look into the claims that he made against his pregnant girlfriend, per the New York Post.
Daniel Waterman, a 22-year-old originally from the Syracuse area in New York, had been riding in the passenger seat while his girlfriend, 24-year-old Leigha Mumby, was behind the wheel.
The couple were driving along Interstate 95 in Flagler County, Florida, on Super Bowl Sunday this past February when tensions reportedly erupted into a fight.
According to court documents, Waterman later told authorities that the argument turned especially dark when Mumby allegedly said: “I don’t care what happens. You’ll get what you deserve,” moments before allegedly crashing the car into a tree.
Both sustained serious injuries in the wreck.
Waterman was left in a coma, while Mumby — who was pregnant at the time — also suffered injuries but survived. Her unborn baby made it through the crash and has since been born.
Waterman’s mother, Heather Waterman, told syracuse.com that her son initially went into a coma after the accident but eventually regained enough consciousness in May to communicate using a whiteboard.
It was then, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by People, that he implicated Mumby in the crash.
The couple had reportedly started arguing after Mumby discovered she was pregnant and Waterman received a text message from a woman back in New York.
Heather Waterman said the message was harmless — just a Super Bowl-related exchange with a friend who supported the Philadelphia Eagles, while her son rooted for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Court records allege that Mumby began driving erratically after the argument and ultimately slammed the vehicle into a tree. However, Mumby reportedly told investigators that she doesn’t recall what caused the crash.
Despite her initial charges of reckless driving causing serious bodily injury and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in July, the legal stakes escalated after Waterman’s condition worsened.
After being transferred from Florida to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse to continue his recovery, he died on October 8 from pneumonia, according to syracuse.com.
Following his death, Mumby was charged with vehicular homicide, People reported, citing law enforcement.
Now, Waterman’s family is focused on gaining custody of the child they believe to be his. Heather Waterman said they plan to prove paternity and bring the baby to New York.
“We’ll do whatever we can do to bring her to us,” she told syracuse.com. “He wanted her raised in New York with his family.”
Though his health battles ultimately proved too much, Heather remembered her son’s resilience in his final months.
“He never gave up,” she said. “This whole entire time, he literally never gave up.”
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