Florida Mom Had ‘Gut Feeling,’ Witnessed Boyfriend on Security Cam App Fracture Son’s Skull With Mop; She's Now Also Under Arrest: Police

A man from Florida was taken into custody for reportedly using a mop handle to fracture the skull of his girlfriend's 5-year-old son, after the boy wet the bed, according to authorities.

Now, the child's mother is also under arrest.

Court records show Shawn Stone, 32, was charged with aggravated child abuse after his girlfriend, Taylor Schaefer, 28, told police she watched the incident unfold on a camera app on her phone, WOFL reported.

According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, the woman went to a doctor’s appointment with her daughter on May 9. She had a “gut feeling” something was wrong, so she checked the camera app on her phone and reportedly saw Stone standing over her son – who was in a fetal position on the bed – hitting him over and over.

Deputies said the boy got up from the bed, but then Stone kicked him even as the boy begged him to stop.

Stone then grabbed a mop and started striking the boy with it, which is when the camera application suddenly stopped working, police said.

When officers spoke with Stone, they said he admitted to being angry after he realized the boy had urinated on the bed. He told police he slapped the boy in the mouth and grabbed a mop to “pop it” over his head, but denied ever hitting the boy with it, according to officials.

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The child had several injuries, including a split lip with fresh blood, bruises to the eyes and top of his head, facial bruising and a bruise on his left thigh the shape of a mop handle, detectives said.

Sheriff Mike Chitwood claimed Stone tried to flee on an ATV, but deputies soon captured him and he is being held without bond.

WOFL reported that an investigation recently was concluded and the child’s mother, Schaefer, now faces 25 charges in connection with the case, including child abuse, neglect, and torture.

According to the sheriff’s office, Schaefer allegedly was aware Stone was abusing her son.

Deputies said recordings allegedly show the mother was present in the home when Stone was being beaten on multiple occasions.

The sheriff’s office claims Schaefer was seen on video the day her son was beat with a mop handle mopping near the area where the incident occurred.

Footage allegedly shows the boy bound in rope, including his hands one time for a period of over 19 hours, authorities said.