POLK COUNTY, Fla. — The Polk County Sheriff's Office said a woman was arrested after allegedly beating her 4-year-old child so severely that internal injuries led to his death.
According to PCSO, Patricia Saintizaire, 36, of Davenport, brought the child to the Heart Hospital of Davenport on May 1 for being lethargic and shaking. The doctors at the Heart Hospital transferred the child to Orlando Health for care.
Saintizaire said in the arrest affidavit that he ate dinner and was violently shaking after eating, which prompted her to take him to the hospital. However, the child died while at the hospital.
Investigators said on May 2, an autopsy was performed, and it showed old scarring and new scarring from blunt force trauma injuries. The child also had a cut in his liver that would have caused his health to decline rapidly, the autopsy found.
"The medical examiner said it couldn't have been nothing else, other than an immediate hard strike to the abdomen, and as the autopsy went on, they found different layers of bruises and injuries from past beatings," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.
Polk County Sheriff's Office began further investigating and obtained a search warrant for Sanitizaire's phone. Polk County investigators found a video from October 2023 showing Saintizaire hitting the victim multiple times. Investigators also found another video clip that shows her throwing the child into a pool with his arms tied behind his back.
“We don't believe we know all that this child suffered. We have another video where he’s face down on the floor, and she’s beating him in the back. He's not even resisting it. It's just like it’s a normal occurrence,” said Judd.
Deputies gained access to Sanitizaire's phone text messages through a search warrant, and it allegedly showed the mother lying to teachers about the child's injuries.
"If you search for a positive, it is he is in the arms of God right now, and he is no longer being beaten," Judd said.
Polk County Schools said Boyer was a pre-K student at Loughman Oaks Elementary. The school district released a statement on his death:
"This is tragic news for Loughman Oaks Elementary, and our entire community. No child should lose their life this way. Our hearts go out to Bryan's friends, loved ones, and all who knew him. Counselors have been assisting Loughman Oaks families and staff, and will be available for ongoing support if needed."
Investigators learned the child was born in Haiti and was first adopted by a woman in Haiti.
He was brought to the U.S. to live with Saintizaire last year through the Biden Administration's Humanitarian Parole Program.
Saintizaire has another 16-year-old son who was also adopted from Haiti. He is now in protective custody.
Saintizaire is charged with one count of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated child abuse, and one count of tampering witness-capital felony.
“Hearing about these kinds of things happening is just heartbreaking," said Nikki Daniels, the director of Champions for Children, a nonprofit aimed at preventing child abuse.
Daniels said there are ways to spot child abuse before it’s too late.
She said to look for bruising, stories that don’t add up, and an unusual change in a child’s behavior.
You can also ask questions.
“Do you feel safe going home? You know, are you comfortable at home? And even to try to, you know, especially with younger children, you know, what’s the best part of being home? You know, what’s the best thing about your family? If the child can’t think of anything, that’s a concern," Daniels said.
She said all of us can and should keep our eyes peeled and report anything suspicious.
“We have to be the village. You know, it takes a village to raise a child. We have to be the village to help support and watch out for those kids," she said.
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