Seffner Man Charged With Attempted Murder Of Child

EDITOR'S NOTE: Hillsborough County Jail records show that Mendez has been charged with first-degree felony murder but the sheriff's public information officer said the child is alive and Mendez has been charged with second-degree attempted murder.

SEFFNER, FL — A 27-year-old Seffner man has been arrested after confessing to systematically hitting, pushing and strangling a 3-year-old child over a two-week period, according to Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff's office said Devin Joshua Mendez of Aladana Drive has been charged with second-degree attempted murder, aggravated child abuse with great bodily harm and child neglect with great bodily harm.

According to the sheriff's office, during an interview following his arrest on Monday, Mendez told deputies he intentionally pushed the 3-year-old during one incident. The child fell forward and lost consciousness for about 15 minutes. Upon awakening, the child was dizzy and vomited. The toddler suffered a broken wrist during the fall, sustained a concussion, cut lip, contusion on the forehead and facial bruising.

During another incident, Mendez said the child wouldn't stop crying, so he grabbed the 3-year-old around the neck for approximately 10 seconds, causing bruising on the neck and petechiae in the left eye from broken blood vessels.

On another occasion, Mendez said he hit the child who fell forward. Mendez said he then he hit the toddler two more times, causing bruises all over the 3-year-old's body.

At no time did Mendez seek medical attention for the child, said the sheriff's office. He told the child's mother that the injuries were caused by falls.

Mendez is being held at Orient Road Jail.

According to the sheriff's public information officer, the sheriff's office cannot reveal if the child is male or female due to Marsy's Law, which protects the identity of victims.