Bradenton man charged with beating and torturing toddlers at playground, cops say

A playground in the 1800 block of 53rd Avenue West has been the scene of ongoing, and horrific acts of child abuse, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies say Melvin Adames Gonzalez, 33, severely beat and tortured two young toddlers at the playground. The abuse came to an end with an arrest on Sunday thanks to a couple who witnessed the abuse and reported it, the sheriff’s office said.

According to the arrest report, Gonzalez would bring the children to the park to bathe them with a nearby hose from a local church, forcing soap into the children’s mouths and noses. At times, Gonzales also would force the hose nozzle into the children’s mouths with the water on.

Deputies say Gonzalez repeatedly beat and strangled the children and both toddlers had severe bruising and knots on their bodies. One child, still in diapers, had an untreated broken leg.

According to the witnesses, Gonzalez and his wife, who has not been charged, were often under the influence and would pass out at the park. The children would sit nearby until both woke up again. Witnesses said the children would scream for their mother to help them when Gonzalez would beat them, but she refused to intervene.

Gonzales is not the children’s biological father, according to the arrest report.

The oldest child initially told investigators that he fell off his bike. But as the children were sitting near their mother, the child said in earshot of deputies, “Mom, I told them I fell off the bike and no one hit me. Mom, I told them I was never hit, that’s what I’m supposed to say, right, mom?”

An on-scene interview with Child Protective Services revealed the extent of the ongoing abuse, according to the sheriff’s office. The children talked about getting punched in the face for not taking out the trash fast enough, of strangulations to the point of passing out and being beaten unconscious with fists or their own toys.

The children were examined for injuries by paramedics at the scene. Deputies said they saw severe bruising and one of the child’s legs was “twisted and appeared to be out of place.”

Gonzalez was booked into the Manatee County jail on two felony counts of aggravated child abuse. He remains in custody on bonds totaling $200,000.

Deputies noted that Gonzalez is originally from the Orlando area where he has a history of child abuse arrests. He has one prior arrest in Manatee County for theft and resisting arrest.