Florida Woman Arrested After Allegedly Putting 4-Year-Old Boy in Dryer and Turning It On

A Florida woman is in police custody after authorities claim she put a 4-year-old who was in her care into a dryer and turned it on.

Per WFTV, 35-year-old Amber Chapman of Eustis, Florida was arrested by Lake County Sheriff’s deputies on Saturday. She is charged with a first-degree felony of aggravated child abuse after the boy was taken to the emergency room in February with “grape-sized” bruising around his eyes, ears, cheeks, shoulder, stomach, and lower back.

Click Orlando writes that the arrest affidavit said the boy “was often left in the care of Chapman.” He was taken to the ER at UF Health Leesburg Hospital on Feb. 1, where he informed medical officials that “Miss Amber” placed him in the dryer with towels and spun him around. The boy claimed in an interview with deputies a few days later that he went “round and round” in the dryer for a few moments. Chapman then allegedly opened the door, closed it again, and the boy said he “went round and round” again.

A warrant was issued for Chapman on Friday. She was released on $15,000 bail following her arrest on Saturday and she is due back in court on May 2. It was unclear if she had retained a lawyer who could speak on her behalf. Child Protective Services were also unable to determine whether the boy’s injuries had been caused by the incident, but said the severe bruising was consistent with what he had told police and doctors. Law enforcement did not disclose a potential motive for the abuse.