Warning: Details in this article are disturbing and may be upsetting.A 6-year-old boy found unconscious with his head in a toilet has died and his parents have been arrested.Deputies initially responded to a call of a drowning inside the couple’s Knights Inn room off West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway on July 5.Blaise told deputies her 6-year-old son’s “head was in the toilet like he was drinking water” and that at some point, “he became unconscious.”When authorities arrived, they said they found a 6-year-old boy without a pulse in Rhodes Jr.’s arms.When deputies arrived, they said the 6-year-old wasn’t breathing.They administered CPR until he was taken to the hospital with a life-threatening brain bleed and was put on life support. He died a few days later from blunt force trauma.Sheriff Marcos Lopez warned during the press conference that the details of the case would be difficult to hear.He said a total of eight people were staying in one hotel room at the Knights Inn: Two parents and six children.”The kids were isolated in this hotel room,” he said. “They didn’t go to school and they had no friends.”Regarding the circumstances that led to the 6-year-old’s death, Lopez said that interviews with the other children revealed what really happened to him.He said investigators learned that the child was drinking the toilet water, but that’s not why he wasn’t breathing when deputies arrived.”The parents were angry he was drinking from the toilet, so they began beating him,” he said. “Maybe he was thirsty, he was just trying to survive.”Lopez said both parents then took turns beating the 6-year-old.He said both parents have now been charged with murder.Lopez said the other children living in the hotel were also being abused. They were severely malnourished, with cuts and bruises.Blaise and Rhodes Jr. have additionally been charged with child abuse and their children have been placed in foster care.Lopez said one of his most seasoned detectives, who had been with the department for 19 years, said she had never seen a worse case of child abuse.”Dead skin cells from being hurt so badly, just horrible injuries on all of the children. From 10 months to five years old. Not only their age but the extent of the injuries to the surviving children,” said detective Suzanne Clouchete with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.”These people are savages,” the sheriff said.Neighbors interviewed by deputies said they had never heard any commotion inside the hotel room.”The only thing I can think is they were beaten so much, they weren’t crying anymore,” Lopez said.The sheriff said both parents were lying to deputies from the beginning.Lopez said that Blaise had no criminal history and Rhodes Jr. had only a minor criminal history.Watch the news conference below:
Warning: Details in this article are disturbing and may be upsetting.
A 6-year-old boy found unconscious with his head in a toilet has died and his parents have been arrested.
Deputies initially responded to a call of a drowning inside the couple’s Knights Inn room off West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway on July 5.
Blaise told deputies her 6-year-old son’s “head was in the toilet like he was drinking water” and that at some point, “he became unconscious.”
When authorities arrived, they said they found a 6-year-old boy without a pulse in Rhodes Jr.’s arms.
When deputies arrived, they said the 6-year-old wasn’t breathing.
They administered CPR until he was taken to the hospital with a life-threatening brain bleed and was put on life support. He died a few days later from blunt force trauma.
Sheriff Marcos Lopez warned during the press conference that the details of the case would be difficult to hear.
He said a total of eight people were staying in one hotel room at the Knights Inn: Two parents and six children.
“The kids were isolated in this hotel room,” he said. “They didn’t go to school and they had no friends.”
Regarding the circumstances that led to the 6-year-old’s death, Lopez said that interviews with the other children revealed what really happened to him.
He said investigators learned that the child was drinking the toilet water, but that’s not why he wasn’t breathing when deputies arrived.
“The parents were angry he was drinking from the toilet, so they began beating him,” he said. “Maybe he was thirsty, he was just trying to survive.”
Lopez said both parents then took turns beating the 6-year-old.
He said both parents have now been charged with murder.
Lopez said the other children living in the hotel were also being abused. They were severely malnourished, with cuts and bruises.
Blaise and Rhodes Jr. have additionally been charged with child abuse and their children have been placed in foster care.
Lopez said one of his most seasoned detectives, who had been with the department for 19 years, said she had never seen a worse case of child abuse.
“Dead skin cells from being hurt so badly, just horrible injuries on all of the children. From 10 months to five years old. Not only their age but the extent of the injuries to the surviving children,” said detective Suzanne Clouchete with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.
“These people are savages,” the sheriff said.
Neighbors interviewed by deputies said they had never heard any commotion inside the hotel room.
“The only thing I can think is they were beaten so much, they weren’t crying anymore,” Lopez said.
The sheriff said both parents were lying to deputies from the beginning.
Lopez said that Blaise had no criminal history and Rhodes Jr. had only a minor criminal history.
Watch the news conference below:
