Florida – A Florida woman was arrested in Pennsylvania and extradited to Florida to face charges in the death of her two-month-old chiID, Rider. The parent, 23-year-old BeIIe, is charged with first-degree felony murder and aggravated chiId abuse, the same charges her former spouse, 26-year-old Donavan, faces. The father was arrested earlier this year in Florida, after a grand jury indictment.

The investigation began in June 2021, when deputies responded to the family’s residence in Florida, where they found the baby deceased. An autopsy determined that the infant died from multiple blunt-force head injuries. Investigators later concluded that the father was responsible for the injuries that led to the child’s death.

The delay in filing charges was due to the need for a thorough investigation. Florida authorities gathered evidence, including text messages between the parents expressing frustration over their son’s crying, which indicated a possible motive. Additionally, photos from a social gathering showed the baby alive and unhurt shortly before he was found dead in his bassinet. These pieces of evidence, along with interviews and expert analysis, led to the indictment of both parents.

The baby’s mom had moved to Pennsylvania after the incident, making it more challenging for authorities to locate and apprehend her. However, once a warrant was issued, law enforcement agencies coordinated to arrest her and bring her back to Florida to face the charges.

The investigation process began after Florida authorities responded to the family’s home and found the two-month-old boy face down in a bassinet with a pacifier in his mouth. An autopsy determined the infant died from multiple blunt-impact head injuries.

The investigation revealed both the baby’s mom and the child’s dad struggled with the baby’s bedtime routine and bouts of inconsolable crying. Text messages recovered from their phones showed complaints about the crying and statements expressing frustration. The child’s dad allegedly claimed he would handle the situation in his own way.

Authorities later interviewed both parents. The baby’s mom said she took a two-hour shower the night the baby died and checked on him afterward, finding his eyes purple, his face squished to one side, and his body very stiff. She denied shaking the baby. The child’s dad admitted moving the child around to try to make him happy but said it was not violent.

He later admitted throwing the baby into the air while standing and missing the catch about two weeks before the baby was found dead. Witnesses confirmed the baby had been in good health from March, until his death on June 1, 2021. Video and images from the parents’ phones showed the child wearing the same clothes the morning he was found deceased.

The child’s dad described struggling to handle the baby while the baby’s mom was in the shower, claiming the woman didn’t come out to help or assist. He said he rocked the infant while standing over the crib, admitted he may have been rough without realizing his own strength, and demonstrated holding the baby in a vertical motion while jumping up and down. He placed the baby face down in the bassinet with a pacifier in his mouth, the same position in which the infant was found the following morning. He did not change the baby’s diaper before going to bed.

Both parents have pleaded not guilty to the charges. They are currently being held without bond at the county jail. The mother is scheduled for a hearing on September 16, 2025, while the father remains in custody pending trial.