Florida mother and her boyfriend face harrowing accusations of child neglect and abuse after 10-year-old boy suffers cardiac arrest

Content warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of child abuse. Please take care while reading.

A horrific child abuse case has recently emerged from Tavares, FL, where Andre Walker, are accused of abusing Mills’ two sons, leading to cardiac arrest in one boy’s case.

According to the Tavares Police Department, Mills and Walker were arrested in February after they brought Mills’ son, a 10-year-old boy whose name has not been disclosed, to the hospital suffering cardiac arrest with burns, bruises, and other injuries. Mills reportedly ran inside the hospital for help, while Walker performed R on the boy, but they both fled when they learned law enforcement was on its way.

Mills later returned alone to the hospital with her other son, the brother of the boy who had the cardiac arrest. That younger boy’s name and condition have also not been reported. Tavares police said he’s 9 years old, and later confirmed he had also been abused.

Mills was arrested while still at the hospital, and charged with aggravated child abuse, while the younger boy was placed with child protective services. Walker later turned himself in on related charges.

“Sheer brutality”

In early March, Tavares police revealed the house of horrors the two boys allegedly lived in at Mills and Walker’s home. According to ClickOrlando, police found a ladder and duct tape, and investigators now allege the older boy was often bound and forced to lie on his back beneath the ladder while weights were dropped onto his stomach.

Both children were also reportedly abused with copper wire. Duct-taped clothing the boys allegedly wore while the abuse happened was found in the trash at the home, and police now allege that Mills and Walker left the hospital in February to clean up evidence.

Referring to their findings, the two abused boys “suffered unspeakable torment,” according to a Tavares Police Department press release, and the department said it was determined to make sure “justice is served.” The department added, “The sheer brutality of these acts is indescribable.”

Walker and Mills remain behind bars

Though Walker was denied bond in early March, his defense claimed he was not involved in the boys’ abuse. According to Orlando’s WESH2, Walker’s estranged wife reportedly told the court she never feared for the safety of their two children.

But further graphic details of the abuse Walker is accused of playing a part in were described in court, involving boxing gloves, and the description of the older boy when he arrived at the hospital, including “internal bleeding” and “possible head trauma.”

“The court finds there is a substantial probability that the defendant committed the offenses as charged,” Florida Judge Brian Welke said at Walker’s bond hearing, calling the nature and circumstances of the offenses and the nature of the injuries the boys sustained “egregious.”

Also as of early March, the 10-year-old boy remained unconscious in the hospital in critical condition, while Tavares police raised funds for the abused boys and their father, according to a Tavares Police Department Facebook post. Walker and Mills are expected back in court on March 24.

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, or if you believe someone you know is being abused,  The National Domestic Violence Hotline. The hotline can be reached at 1-800-799-SAFE or spoken with online via the hotline’s website. Mobile phone owners can also text “START” to the number 88788