OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — A man at the center of what deputies called one of the worst abuse cases they’ve ever seen has been sentenced to life in prison.
A jury found Larry Rhodes Jr. guilty of beating his 6-year-old son, Sergio Rhodes, to death back in July 2022.
Investigators said Rhodes repeatedly punched Sergio in the head and stomach after discovering the child drank from a Kissimmee hotel room toilet because he was thirsty.
They said the child’s mother, Bianca Blaise, called 9-1-1 to report her son had drowned, though neighbors told detectives they had heard a thud and crying through the wall.
Sergio died after several days in the hospital on life support.
According to court records, investigators later discovered drugs in both adults’ systems and charged both with murdering Sergio and abusing their five other children.
Sheriff Marcos Lopez said the children, who were as young as nine months, did not attend school or have any friends.
“Imagine being (beaten so badly that) blood is being left on the bottom of a shoe,” a visibly angry Lopez said at the time of the arrest. “They were beaten so much to the point where you’re not crying anymore… these people were savages.”
The other children were placed into foster care after their parents’ arrests.
Court records suggest Blaise struck a plea deal with prosecutors in exchange for testifying against Rhodes but has yet to be sentenced.
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