St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office has arrested three people in connection with the death of a 3-month-old infant in Fort Pierce last August. The investigation began when detectives were called to a Fort Pierce home following the infant's death. The baby had been living with his grandfather, Robert Maxwell, and Robert Maxwell's girlfriend, Vikki Koon, while his mother, Nicole Maxwell, resided with a boyfriend in Vero Beach.
According to an arrest affidavit, Koon told deputies she believed a newborn should have two ounces per feeding twice a day. She said when she ran out of formula, she would fill the bottle with regular milk and add water. In the days leading up to the infant's death, Koon and Robert Maxwell contacted the baby's mother and biological father, who lives out of state, via Messenger, stating they needed to come to Florida because something was going on with the baby and he had marks all over him.
Investigators found the mobile home in poor condition. The house was extremely hot with a bug infestation, lack of food, and the home was unsafe for walking. An autopsy revealed the infant was emaciated and had a sunken abdomen and widespread lesions consistent with severe dehydration and malnutrition. A detective with the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office said the case was one of the worst he had encountered in 20 years of law enforcement.
All three suspects are facing several charges, including aggravated manslaughter. St. Lucie County Sheriff Richard Del Toro released a statement saying the loss of a child is heartbreaking and that cases like this weigh heavily on everyone involved. He urged the public to report any signs of child abuse, saying that something so small could end up being something so big and could potentially save children's lives.