Fla. man accused of attacking girlfriend’s 5-year-old son with mop because he wet the bed

DELAND, Fla. (TCD) – Deputies have arrested a 32-year-old man accused of beating his girlfriend’s 5-year-old son, allegedly because the child urinated in his bed.

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood announced Tuesday, May 9, that Shawn Stone allegedly “punched, kicked, and used a mop handle to beat” the boy as punishment. The victim was transported to a hospital, and according to WOFL-TV, he sustained a fractured skull, a lacerated lip, face bruising, and a bruise on his thigh in the shape of a mop handle.

During an interview with the boy’s mother, she reportedly told authorities she used a camera application on her phone and allegedly saw her boyfriend, Stone, assaulting her son.

According to WOFL, the mother also told authorities Stone had used methamphetamine in the past, but he had been clean for a while.

Chitwood said Stone fled the scene on an all-terrain vehicle but was located and taken into custody. In an interview, Stone reportedly admitted to deputies that he slapped the boy because he was angry that he wet the bed, but he denied the mop-beating allegations.

Stone was booked into the Volusia County Jail on a charge of aggravated child abuse and remains held without bond.

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