DAYTONA BEACH, FL – A Florida man is in custody after allegedly dangling and dropping a child headfirst off a second-story hotel balcony. Brandon Gilmore, 31, is facing an aggravated child abuse charge following the incident at the Sandlewood Resort on Saturday afternoon.
Authorities were alerted to the situation when witnesses reported a trauma at the resort. Gilmore admitted to meeting a woman at the hotel pool hours before the incident and said she invited him to her room.
According to Gilmore, he asked for permission to scare the woman’s son and proceeded to dangle the child over the balcony. Witnesses confirmed the incident and heard the child screaming before he was dropped. Video surveillance footage also corroborated the witnesses’ statements.
The child has since been released from the hospital without any expected long-term health issues.
Gilmore is currently in custody without bond.