Over the weekend, a disturbing incident unfolded at the Sandlewood Resort in Daytona Beach, Florida, resulting in the arrest of a 31-year-old man on charges of aggravated child abuse. The suspect, Brandon Gilmore, allegedly dangled and dropped a child head-first off a second-story hotel balcony.
According to authorities from the Daytona Beach Police Department, the incident occurred on a Saturday afternoon. Gilmore had met a woman at the hotel pool just five hours prior to the shocking event. He was invited to the woman's room, where he asked for permission to take her son outside to play and purportedly 'scare him a little bit.'
Witnesses confirmed that Gilmore held the boy by his legs and dangled him over the balcony, causing the child to scream before being dropped head-first from the two-story height. It was reported that both Gilmore and the woman had been consuming alcohol throughout the day.
Video surveillance footage captured the incident, corroborating the witness statements and Gilmore's own admission of the events. Fortunately, the child, whose age was not disclosed in the affidavit, is said to be in good condition. He has been discharged from the hospital and is not expected to suffer any long-term health consequences as a result of the traumatic incident.
Brandon Gilmore is currently in custody at the Volusia County Jail without bond, as per online jail records. The Daytona Police Department emphasized the severity of the situation and expressed relief that the child emerged physically unharmed from the ordeal.
