A 22-year-old Florida mother was arrested after giving a relative bleach to feed her 13-month-old baby.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit detectives conducted a full investigation, and immediately, the Department of Children and Families removed the child from the mother’s care and placed her with a relative.
On January 2, 2024, a concerned relative reported that 22-year-old Melissa Barnes had given her 13-month-old daughter a bottle containing bleach.
The relative discovered Barnes living in an unpowered shed with the child, in an environment described as cold, cluttered, and unsanitary. The relative removed the child and attempted to feed her, but the child refused the bottle. Upon inspection, the relative discovered the bottle contained bleach.
When questioned, Barnes claimed to have used bleach to rinse the bottle.
Detectives obtained a search warrant for the shed, where they located bleach-based disinfectant and paint. The contents of the baby bottle were sent to the FBI laboratory for analysis, confirming the presence of chlorine-based bleach.
Upon those findings, detectives obtained warrants for Barnes’ arrest on charges of Child Abuse and Child Neglect. Earlier this month, Barnes was taken into custody by the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office.
“This case is deeply disturbing. No child deserves to be subjected to such dangerous and neglectful conditions,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. “The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is committed to protecting our community’s most vulnerable, and we will work tirelessly to ensure that those who harm children are held accountable.”
Barnes was taken to jail in Highlands County before being brought to Hillsborough County.
