Child allegedly thrown from second-floor balcony in Daytona Beach

A 31-year-old man was arrested Saturday after allegedly throwing a 4-year-old from the second floor of a Daytona Beach resort, according to a police affidavit. The man, identified as Brandon Gilmore, now faces a charge of aggravated child abuse. According to Daytona Beach police records, Gilmore met the toddler’s mother about five hours before the incident, which occurred just before 8 p.m. The man says he told the mother he was going to take the child outside to play and “scare him a little bit,” and then held the child upside down over the balcony by his legs. Witnesses say Gilmore then dropped the toddler headfirst, causing him to fall two stories. “He just rocked with them and played with them,” said Dasanni Bentley, who witnessed the disturbing incident. “And then he let go and held him by one foot. And then the child slipped out of him and fell right headfirst onto the concrete, no grass.” Gilmore told officers he held the child over the balcony but did not elaborate on his involvement, the affidavit states. Bentley said the child was hit pretty hard. “His face started to turn bright red,” Bentley said. “He obviously wasn’t getting any oxygen. It was just not a good situation.” Officers said they had access to video surveillance footage that documented the incident. According to the affidavit, the video shows Gilmore exiting a hotel room and holding the child in his arms quite normally before holding him over the balcony by one leg. The surveillance footage then shows Gilmore dropping the child headfirst, the affidavit states. Bentley said Gilmore and the child’s mother ran down the stairs. “They were just all around him trying to make sure he was OK,” she said. “People were yelling from the pool not to touch him.” Witnesses said the mother picked the child up from the floor and brought him into the room. Due to the severity of the fall, the child was taken to the hospital. Police say the child suffered blunt head trauma, but his current condition was not immediately released. “Absolutely devastating,” Bentley said. “I don’t even know how I would react if it was my own.” The Department of Children and Families took a report on the incident, according to the affidavit. Gilmore is now charged with aggravated child abuse. He is being held without bail in the Volusia County Jail.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. —

A 31-year-old man was arrested Saturday after allegedly throwing a 4-year-old from the second floor of a Daytona Beach resort, according to a police affidavit.

The man, identified as Brandon Gilmore, is now accused of aggravated child abuse.

Daytona Beach Police Department

According to Daytona Beach police records, Gilmore met the toddler’s mother about five hours before the incident, which occurred shortly before 8 p.m.

The man said he told the mother he would take the child outside to play and “scare him a bit.” He then held the child upside down over the balcony by its legs.

According to witnesses, Gilmore then dropped the toddler headfirst, causing him to fall two stories to the ground.

“He just swung in and played with them,” said Dasanni Bentley, who witnessed the disturbing incident. “And then he let go and grabbed him by one foot. And then the boy slipped out of him and fell right on his head on the concrete, not grass.”

Gilmore told officers he held the child over the balcony but did not elaborate on his involvement, the affidavit states.

Bentley said the child was hit quite badly.

“His face turned bright red,” Bentley said. “He was obviously not getting any oxygen. It was just not a good situation.”

Officers said they had access to surveillance video that documented the incident. According to the affidavit, the video shows Gilmore leaving a hotel room, holding the child in his arms in the normal manner, before lifting him by one leg over the balcony.

Surveillance footage shows Gilmore then dropping the child head first, the affidavit states.

Bentley said Gilmore and the child’s mother ran down the stairs.

“They were all around him trying to make sure he was OK,” she said. “People were yelling from the pool not to touch him.”

Witnesses said the mother picked up the child from the floor and brought her back into the room.

Due to the severity of the fall, the child was taken to the hospital. According to police, the child suffered blunt force trauma to the head, but his current condition was not immediately released.

“Absolutely devastating,” Bentley said. “I don’t even know how I would react if it was my own.”

According to the affidavit, the Department of Children and Families took a report on the incident.

Gilmore is now charged with aggravated child abuse and is being held without bail in the Volusia County Jail.