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Florida woman faces charges for allegedly instructing child to murder infant via Roblox message

Escambia County woman faces attempted murder charges for allegedly instructing a 10-year-old to kill an infant. (Courtesy: Escambia County Sheriff's Office)

ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. – A Florida woman is facing aggravated child abuse charges after deputies say she instructed a 10-year-old to purposefully drop an infant on its head, via a message on Roblox.

Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies said they received from the Gulf Coast Kids House a on Oct. 17 in reference to a two-month-old who suffered injuries after being dropped on its head by a 10-year-old.

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Investigators said Tara Alexia Sykes, 36, was communicating with the child through the social media and gaming platform, Roblox, instructing the child on various methods to kill the infant.

According to deputies, Sykes instructed the 10-year-old to drown the infant in the bathtub, burn the infant with scalding water, and drop the infant on the floor to kill the infant.

“I have been in Law Enforcement for over 40 years and have never seen anything quite like this. I am truly disturbed by the circumstances and the thought that anyone could think like this, let alone instruct these acts to be carried out. There is something really wrong with her,” said Escambia County Sheriff Chip W. Simmons.

Officials said Sykes also instructed the 10-year-old on how to kill the adults they were temporarily living with by cutting their throats with a knife while they slept and burning their house by dousing bed sheets with aerosol spray and setting them on fire.

Sykes has been charged with attempted while engaged in aggravated child abuse.


About the Author
Veronica Crespo headshot

Veronica Crespo writes for Local10.com and also oversees the Español section of the website. Born and raised in Miami, she graduated from the University of Miami, where she studied broadcast journalism and Spanish.

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