A Florida mother who allowed her boyfriend to repeatedly abuse her young son has been sentenced to decades in prison after pleading no contest to multiple charges.
Taylor Schaefer, 30, was sentenced to 60 years behind bars after admitting to charges that include aggravated child abuse, conspiracy to commit child neglect with great bodily harm and failure to report child abuse. The sentencing followed a disturbing investigation led by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities said the case began in May 2023 when Schaefer claimed she had a “gut feeling” that her live-in boyfriend, 35-year-old Shawn M. Stone, had been harming her 5-year-old son. She checked surveillance footage inside the home, which confirmed the abuse, and eventually contacted police.
However, investigators soon discovered that Schaefer had failed to reveal key details. According to deputies, she was present in the house during much of the abuse but did nothing to stop it or report it earlier.
“On several occasions the boy was visibly injured and limping in her presence, but received no care or medical attention. Video showed he was not only beaten, but repeatedly left with his hands bound behind his back for hours at a time,” deputies wrote. “The victim was also tied up, placed in a dog cage and often punished via deprivation of food.”
Stone has been charged with aggravated child abuse, false imprisonment and neglect of a child causing great bodily harm. His case is still ongoing, and he remains in the Volusia County Jail without bond.
Authorities arrested Stone on May 9, 2023, after he allegedly beat the boy with a mop handle, punched and kicked him, and later fled from officers on a four-wheeler.
Investigators say the abuse occurred repeatedly and was captured on home surveillance footage. In one incident, the boy’s hands were allegedly tied behind his back from 6:43 p.m. through the night and into the next afternoon at 2:02 p.m.
“On another occasion, his legs, feet, arms and torso were bound for at least an hour while Stone stood over him,” deputies said.
The footage also reportedly showed Stone yelling at and kicking the already injured child. At times, Schaefer appeared in the video and told the boy to stand up straight while the abuse continued.
Doctors later documented at least 46 visible injuries on the 5-year-old, along with internal injuries that included a fractured skull.
Investigators also found that two other children in the home were victims of abuse and neglect.
“It was also determined that another child in the home was forced to drink boiling water, sprayed with boiling water, and beaten with several household objects,” law enforcement said. “That child also witnessed the brutal abuse inflicted on the younger victim.”
Authorities said a third child living in the home was also neglected and did not receive proper nutrition or care for a serious medical condition.
All three children were removed from the home and placed in what deputies described as a safe environment.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood later shared a fundraiser created to support the children.
“The torture these kids endured is hard to imagine,” he said. “The good news is they’re in safe hands now, and their scumbag abusers will have to answer for what they did.”
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