Ormond Beach, FL - State Attorney R. J. Larizza announced an indictment today against an Ormond Beach father of a five-month-old infant boy who died on June 11. Larizza and Ormond Beach Police Chief Jesse Godfrey also announced during a joint press conference this morning that a Notice of Intent to Seek the Death Penalty against 23-year-old Calib Scott.
The indictment charges are First Degree Murder, Aggravated Child Abuse, and Neglect of a Child Causing Great Bodily Harm in the death of his 5-month-old son, Daemon Scott.
Larizza said there are a number of statutory aggravators that led to the intent to seek the death penalty. The crime was especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel; cold calculated and premeditated; the defendant committed the murder while committing another felony (Aggravated Child
Abuse); and that the defendant committed the crime while in a familial custodial role.
Assistant State Attorney Tammy Jaques, of the State Attorney’s Homicide Unit, will prosecute the case as first chair. Due to the fact this is now a death-penalty eligible case, a death-certified judge has yet to be assigned nor has an arraignment date been officially set.
Scott was arrested the same day that the baby died and charged with child neglect, aggravated child abuse and first-degree murder by aggravated child abuse. The Ormond Beach Police report stated that Scott "caused the death of the victim" through the use of "severe physical force." Scott called 9-1-1 for help when he noticed the baby was not breathing properly.
The police report also noted that the little boy had what appeared to be a fresh circular burn on the inside of his right ear, likely from a cigarette. The baby also showed signs of bruises in various stages of healing as well as open sores and lacerations on his face.
