Police in Florida have arrested a 33‑year‑old man after he allegedly beat three children in his care. The abuse reportedly began because he believed one of the children, a 5‑year‑old boy, was gay.
Police allege that Andre Brown Jr was looking after three children when one of them, a nine‑year‑old girl, sent an SMS to her mother expressing fear of being beaten.
“I’m scared,” the girl wrote. “He’s whooping him so hard, I’m scared.”
Police responded and found all three children had been abused, but the young boy had the most severe injuries, including extensive bruising, a fractured wrist and a contusion.
Brown is accused of throwing the boys body to the ground multiple times, and then hitting the other children with a belt over what was described as an earlier incident that had upset him.
Authorities have indicated they will add additional hate‑crime charges, which could see the alleged offender face a life sentence.
Police said Brown had an extensive criminal history, including arrests for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, burglary, battery, assault with a deadly weapon, theft, kidnapping, home‑invasion robbery with a firearm, battery on a pregnant person, driving under the influence, possession of a weapon on school property, domestic‑battery strangulation and dating violence.
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