Dad ‘killed his child’ with a leaf blower for reminding him his accomplice cheated

A 38-year-old father has been accused of killing his six-month-old baby son due to the child reminding him that his partner had an affair. The man also feared the child was not his own

A father who had been accused of murdering his six-month-old son with a leaf blower has allegedly blamed the incident on the baby’s mother cheating on him.

Police officers were called to the home of James Westervelt, 38, in Belleview, Florida, following reports of an unresponsive infant in the summer of 2024. The child was rushed to hospital and placed on life support after the emergency call.

Despite efforts from emergency services the child tragically died days after being placed on life support. Police have stated an autopsy determined the infant died from hypoxic/ischemic encephalopathy caused by blunt head trauma. The child’s death has been ruled a homicide.

The child’s father, Westervelt, has been arrested and faces murder charges for the death of the child. A probable cause affidavit stated during monitored jail phone calls Westervelt allegedly stated the deterioration of his relationship with the mother of his child helped cause the baby’s death, Law & Crime reports.

On the phone Westervelt allegedly stated: “I think that’s how I rubbed Stephanie [the child’s mother] the wrong way.” The father added: “I always told her, if you never f—ing cheated on me, none of this would have ever happened.”

Numerous witnesses have told detectives Westervelt treated the child with less compassion than his other children due to him believing there was a possibility the child was not his. Investigators believe this could be evidence for the motive of the crime.

A family friend of Westervelt told investigators she believed the man was “less attentive” toward the infant in comparison to his other children. The individual stated they believed it was because Westervelt was angry due to the affair.

The deceased child’s maternal grandmother also stated Westervelt showed “no love or affection” towards the child. Westervelt allegedly told investigators he used the powerful tool on the infant because he “thought it would be funny”.

Police later stated video showing Westervelt using the leaf blower on the same child during a previous incident was also found.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office stated: “Eventually, once Westervelt was arrested in April this year for child abuse of the same victim, [authorities] were able to interview him again while in jail. It had been a couple of years since he provided his initial statement. He provided enough contradicting evidence. We worked with the state attorney’s office to, basically, charge him with murder.”

Arrest and public court records showed Westervelt was initially charged with second-degree murder without premeditation. However prosecutors went on to dismiss the charges and refile a first degree murder charge with premeditation on July 30.

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