Three people have been arrested in Hernando County in connection with two separate infant death cases.
- Jesse James Abney, Justine Lynn Vansant charged in one case
- Miles Luke Anchondo charged in separate case
According to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, the arrests come after investigations into the deaths of infants this summer.
Jesse James Abney, 21, and Justine Lynn Vansant, 19, have been charged in the June 9 death of Carson Abney, a month-old infant.
Also, Miles Luke Anchondo, 25, was charged in the July 21 death of 2-month-old Miles Anchondo Jr.
Jesse Abney and Vansant were arrested at Thursday at a residence on Sarasota Street in Brooksville. Abney has been charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child while Vansant has been charged with child neglect.
The infant's parents, Jesse Abney and Vansant, called 911 on June 4 to report the child was not breathing. The child died five days later.
Detectives said the infant had bruising along the right side of his face, by his eye, and both eyes had blood in the sclera (the white portion of the eye). The child was immediately transported to Bayfront Health Spring Hill by Hernando County Fire Rescue.
The couple told authorities they put the child in his crib, went to take a shower and noticed the child was not breathing after they got out.
A search of the bedroom revealed a green leafy substance on the nightstand and sprinkled all over Vansant and Abney's bed. In a drawer of the nightstand, deputies located several pills, empty baggies, a glass pipe, and rolling papers.
The charge of child neglect against Vansant came as a complete shock to her mother, Jamie Vansant.
"It's very upsetting," she said. "it's been a very hard time. My daughter does not deserve this."
Detectives said enough evidence was collected to prove that Abney was responsible for the infant's death. However, they said Vansant knew about prior abuse and did not report it.
Jamie Vansant disputes those assertions.
"I never witnessed any harm to my grandson at all," Jamie told us. "So I'm not speculating on if he did do it or if he didn't do it. I know my daughter had nothing to do with it, and if she had prior knowledge of her child being hurt, she would have done something about it."
In the other case, Anchondo called 911 on July 19 to report his son was not breathing.
As the 911 operator was providing CPR instructions, Anchondo advised he had taken the infant out of the bath and the infant was now naked on the floor at their Omaha Circle home in Spring Hill.
Upon arrival, patrol deputies located a naked infant on the living room floor, but the infant was dry, conflicting with Anchondo's statement to the 9-1-1 operator. Deputies also observed what they believed to be marijuana in plain view, in the living room.
The infant was immediately transported to Bayfront Health Spring Hill by Hernando County Fire Rescue.
The child died two days later.
The autopsy report on Miles Anchondo Jr. revealed a left parietal skull fracture, brain and spinal cord injuries of varying stages, retinal and optic nerve sheath hemorrhages, healing fractures of the right seventh, and left sixth ribs, recent fractures of the right fifth and sixth ribs, and pulmonary congestion, edema, and focal acute pneumonia.
Due to the extensive injuries, the death was ruled a homicide.
Anchondo Sr. has been charged with murder and aggravated child abuse.