SHELBY COUNTY, TENNESSEE: A Tennessee man named Anthony D Andrew was taken into custody for allegedly beating his girlfriend's two-year-old son to death with a dog toy.
On Monday, September 4, the 22-year-old man was arrested after the authorities responded to the scene. His girlfriend told investigators that the baby was under his care while she was sleeping, reported Law and Crime.
What are the charges against Anthony Andrews?
Andrews faces two charges, including one count of aggravated child abuse and one count of aggravated neglect of a child resulting in the toddler’s brutal death, according to court documents.
Authorities of the Memphis Police Department and emergency medical personnel with the Memphis Fire Department responded to a 911 call that reported an unresponsive child at a home in Margot Street, as per a probable cause affidavit filed in Shelby County Criminal Court.
First responders found the two-year-old boy "not breathing and bleeding from the mouth with bruising on the abdomen, sides, and back, as well as a long bruise on the right side of his face that went from the forehead area to the lower jaw," according to police.
Before the victim was rushed to a local hospital, emergency medical personnel performed CPR on the scene.
The boy was pronounced dead at the hospital after he succumbed to his injuries.
Was Anthony Andrews' girlfriend aware of his abusive behavior?
According to the affidavit, police wrote the victim's mother shared that she was aware the alleged murderer "disciplines her child and has seen him use a belt or braided dog toy to strike the child when disciplining him."
"[The victim’s mother] also stated that she recently noticed excess bruising and wounds on her child but was told by Mr Andrews that the child had fallen out of bed," the police added.
Andrew was then interviewed by investigators and he agreed to provide them with a statement.
The affidavit explained the defendant's method of alleged abuse of the child before the tragic death.
"During the statement, Anthony Andrews admitted to hitting the child with a belt ‘harder than he should’ a few weeks before this incident, as well as striking the child seven to eight times with a braided dog toy in the back, face, and buttocks area on the morning of September 4, 2023," read the affidavit.
"Andrews also admitted to striking the child with an open hand in the chest at least once or twice before shoving the child into a corner," the affidavit added.
Andrew reportedly told the investigators that after he attacked the toddler, he put him back in bed.
However, the alleged killer stated that he saw the boy falling out of the bed several minutes later. He claimed that it was at this point he noticed the toddler was unresponsive and then he made the emergency call.
Andrews who is scheduled to appear in court on September 7 is currently being held on a $250,000 bond at the Shelby County Detention Center, as per court records.
