Port Charlotte man found guilty of abusing girlfriend’s 6-month-old

Writer: Matthew Seaver
Published: Updated:
Joseph Anthony Brooks, 29. (Credit: Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office)

A Port Charlotte man accused of abusing his girlfriend’s 6-month-old baby has been found guilty following a four-day trial.

Joseph Anthony Brooks, 29, was found guilty of child abuse and aggravated child neglect on Thursday.

According to the State Attorney’s Office, Brooks was babysitting the child on February 20, 2020, when the child stopped breathing while in his care. Brook called the baby’s mother instead of calling 911. The State Attorney’s office says the baby’s mom and aunt rushed the child to the hospital.

Doctors at the hospital found recent head trauma while treating the baby, which led to an investigation by the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office that led to Brook’s Arrest.

Brooks is set to be sentenced on October 7.

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