A 22-year-old man, identified as Anthony D. Andrews, was taken into custody on Monday, September 4, in Tennessee. He was arrested in connection with the death of a two-year-old boy, who was the child of his girlfriend. 

The child allegedly met his end after being assaulted with a dog toy and a belt. As a result, authorities have charged Andrews with aggravated child abuse and neglect. 

Local authorities received a 911 call, reporting an unresponsive child at a residence on Margot Street in Memphis. Responders from the police and medical teams were quick on the scene, where they discovered the young boy displaying severe injuries, such as bruising across his abdomen, sides, back, and face. 

Despite the best attempts to revive him, the child couldn’t be saved and was declared dead upon arrival at a nearby hospital. 

The mother, who had left her son under Andrews’ supervision the previous night, relayed to the authorities that she had last seen her son in a healthy condition. She also mentioned being aware of Andrews using a braided dog toy for discipline. In recent times, she had observed injuries on her child, which Andrews had brushed off as results of the child falling out of bed. 

After his arrest, upon receiving his Miranda rights, Andrews confessed to his actions. He admitted to having hit the boy with a belt, the braided dog toy, and his open hand. He further added that he had shoved the child into a corner. Andrews recounted that after the assault, he had placed the child back in bed. However, later, when he found the child to be unresponsive, he was the one to dial 911.

Presently, Andrews remains in custody at the Shelby County Detention Center with a bond set at $250,000.