SARASOTA, FLORIDA — Detectives with the Sarasota Police Department have arrested a father and mother for felony child abuse and felony child neglect after learning they were not feeding their children and beating them. Kimberly Haygood, 27, of Sarasota and Anthony Jones, 30, of Sarasota have both been arrested. The children in this case are a 6-year-old boy and a set of twins, a 4-year-old boy and 4-year-old girl.
Sarasota Police Detectives received a call from the Department of Children and Families (DCF) about a child abuse case they were investigating on Thursday. Sarasota Police discovered Haygood and Jones were not feeding the three children and they were extremely malnourished and dehydrated. The 4-year-old boy weighed only 22 pounds when he was checked into All Children’s Hospital.
The 4-year-old girl only weighed 26 pounds. Doctors told investigators 22 pounds is the average weight of an 11-month old baby. Investigators also discovered multiple markings and scars constant with inflicted injury from a belt on two of the children.
Detective Megan Buck said, “The sight of the 4-year-old boy took my breath away. My description of him when I saw him was that he looked like a skeleton. His body was skin and bones. He has no hair because of lack of nutrients. He has a skin rash and marks from the lack of nutrients. He is non-verbal and cannot talk.”
Haygood has been charged with 5 felony counts: Aggravated Child Abuse (2 counts), Child Neglect – Greatly Bodily Harm (2 counts) and Child Neglect. Jones has been charged with 5 felony counts: Aggravated Child Abuse (2 counts), Child Neglect – Greatly Bodily Harm (2 counts) and Child Abuse.
Both Haygood and Jones were at first appearance on Saturday. Haygood is being held on a $50,000 bond with no contact with the victims and no contact with Jones. Jones is being held on a $60,000 bond with no contact with victims or minors. Additional charges for both Haygood and Jones are pending.
