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Father indicted for first degree murder in six-year-old son's death at Kissimmee motel in 2022

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Published  December 5, 2024 2:18pm EST
Kissimmee
FOX 35 Orlando

Florida boy dead after being beaten by parents for drinking from toilet, says sheriff

A 6-year-old boy who was on life support after being beaten by his parents for reportedly drinking water from a toilet bowl at a Kissimmee motel in July has died, and his parents are now facing murder and several other charges, Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez announced during a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

ORLANDO, Fla. - An Osceola County grand jury has indicted Larry Rhodes, 25, on charges of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated child abuse, and four counts of child abuse in connection with the death of his six-year-old son and alleged abuse of his other children.

The charges stem from a July 2022 incident when Osceola County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a report of a drowning at a motel in Kissimmee.

Upon arrival, they found an unresponsive young boy, who later died at the hospital. 

Investigators determined the child’s death was caused by injuries from abuse and found evidence of physical abuse and neglect involving other children in the hotel room.

According to Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez the child was beaten by his parents for reportedly drinking water from a toilet bowl.

Related article: Florida boy, 6, dead after being beaten by parents for drinking from toilet: sheriff

On Dec. 4, prosecutors presented evidence to the grand jury, leading to the indictment. 

Rhodes now faces a first-degree murder charge alongside multiple felony child abuse charges.

The case remains under investigation, and court hearings are pending. Additional information is not being released at this time.

An indictment is a formal allegation, and Rhodes is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

Updates on the case can be found on the Osceola County Clerk of Court’s website.

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