VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — An Orlando man was arrested in Volusia County Tuesday, months after his infant son was hospitalized with injuries that doctors determined were signs of abuse.
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According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, their investigation started back on Jan. 24, the day after the three-month-old boy was taken to the emergency room when he lost consciousness at home in Ormond Beach.
The infant was initially taken to AdventHealth Daytona Beach in cardiac arrest and later flown to AdventHealth for Children in Orlando where a CT exam showed evidence of a brain bleed.
According to the sheriff’s office, after further evaluation and treatment, doctors determined the boy had multiple severe injuries that could only have resulted from physical abuse or shaking.
In a March report on the baby’s status, one doctor noted the injuries would be comparable to being in a car crash.
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Detectives interviewed the child’s parents and learned that the father, identified as 32-year-old Malcolm Nelson, was the one responsible for caring for child on the Morning of Jan. 23. Nelson claimed he picked the baby up after he became fussy and began to cry, then the child went limp in his arms and appeared to not be breathing.
Investigators determined Nelson had shaken the infant the morning he went into cardiac arrest. Further evaluation by doctors also showed evidence of past abuse that appeared to have healed but wasn’t reported.
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Volusia County detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Nelson last week charging him with aggravated child abuse. He was arrested in Orlando Tuesday and transferred to the Volusia County jail where he remains on $150,000 bond.
The baby, now 11 months old, remains on life support. Nelson’s charge could be upgraded if the child doesn’t recover.
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