10-year-old boy fighting for life after mom and man arrested for ‘gruesome’ abuse

By Allison Petro, David Jones

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    TAVARES, Florida (WESH) — A 10-year-old boy is still fighting for his life days after his mother and another man took him to the hospital with obvious signs of severe physical abuse.

Now, Tavares Police are detailing the abuse’s serious nature and saying the boy was “tortured” in his home on Dora Avenue.

“It is clear to this agency that this child underwent gruesome abuse,” said Tavares police Det. Courtney Sullivan.

“He is covered head to toe … excuse me,” Sullivan said, choking up. “He is covered head to toe in various size bruises that are in various stages of healing.”

Tavares police confirmed that Andre Walker, 36, turned himself in on Monday and was charged with accessory after the fact for aggravated child abuse.

On Saturday, police said they responded to AdventHealth Waterman, a local hospital, about a juvenile who had sustained multiple injuries indicative of physical abuse.

Staff members at the hospital told officers the juvenile was covered in bruises in “various stages of healing.”

They also reported burn marks and other types of injuries, according to police.

Hospital staff members conducted life-saving measures on the juvenile before he was life-flighted to Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital.

Police said, days later, the boy remains in critical condition.

“This 10-year-old little boy is fighting for his life,” Sullivan said.

He was dropped off in the hospital by his mother and Walker.

Kimberley Mills, the mom, was performing CPR on the boy, with hospital staff taking over when they arrived.

However, both Mills and Walker left shortly after learning that the police were coming.

Eventually, Mills returned to the hospital accompanied by her other son. But police said Walker did not return.

Mills holds a license as a registered nurse in Florida.

Mills declined to answer any questions about the injuries and was subsequently arrested for aggravated child abuse, according to police.

Police said the other boy was taken to the Department of Children and Families.

They also said the children’s biological father had flown in to be with them.

Detectives searched Mills’ residence, gathering evidence to build a case of serious child abuse.

“Can’t imagine. Can’t imagine at all,” said next-door neighbor Mary Phillips.

“If you gave birth to him, how could you beat him up? That’s why I keep thinking the man must have been involved, I don’t know.”

Other neighbors told WESH they had no idea anything was going on with the little boy.

“I thought everything was alright. But when I seen this, I was shocked,” said neighbor Rickey Cannon.

Not everyone in the neighborhood wanted to go on camera, but all were disturbed by the events. The police department said the boy’s father got here from out of state to be with him and his brother as soon as he could.

“I wouldn’t know what to do if that was my kid. I couldn’t handle it,” Cannon said.

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