Earlier this month, a woman from Florida and her boyfriend were taken into custody in connection with a child abuse incident. The case unfolded when the woman brought her young daughter to the hospital due to multiple injuries, which included broken bones and bite marks at various stages of healing.
Jordan Moore, aged 28, has been accused of child neglect resulting in severe bodily harm, while Jesse Smith, aged 29, is facing charges of aggravated child abuse, according to a report by WEAR.
According to the details in an arrest report, the child, whose exact age was not specified, sustained the injuries between November 30, 2024, and January 7, 2025. The child was taken to Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola by Moore on January 8, where medical staff documented a range of injuries, including broken arm, ribs, and legs, extensive bruising on various body parts, and bite and grab marks on the arms.
Additionally, the child was missing two teeth.
The police report says that Moore told police the injuries came during common accidents and falls and that Smith, her boyfriend, wasn’t violent and was rarely alone with the little girl. She also claimed the baby suffers from “Brittle Bone Disease,” but hospital tests came back negative for the genetic condition.
Then, investigators got a look at Moore’s cell phone, finding photos of the child’s multiple injuries since December. The phone records also indicated that Smith frequently watched the baby for long periods of time alone. According to the report, a December 22 text from Moore to Smith accused him of “purposefully” hitting the baby’s “head on the door.”
“All I did was ask why you did taht and then you threw her in the backseat,” the text continued. “You act like you hate my kids and it hurts.”
The report also says that Moore texted a family member about the child’s injuries in December and early January, and the family member said that it appears the baby was abused. The family member first suggested she take the baby to the doctor but later advised not taking “her out in public” over fears the Department of Children and Families would take her.
The report says that Smith denied abusing the child, asying he only ever playfully pinched her nose.
A sibling, however, told investigators that the nose-pinching was not playful, according to Law&Crime. The sibling said that Smith would get “maddy maddy maddy” at the girl for crying and would then use tweezers to pinch her nose and cover her mouth with his hand.
The report did not release further information on the baby’s condition or any information about the status of the other children mentioned in the report.
Moore was given a $75,000 bond and has since been released. Smith is still behind bars on a $300,000 bond. They are due back in court again on March 27.
