Brittany Nichole Arnett, Florida mother charged with beating 6-month-old son to death

An Inverness, Florida mother who was upset she had to take care of her 6-month-old has been charged with murder in the boy’s death.

Brittany Nichole Arnett, 21, is being charged with first-degree murder in the death of Hadley Arnett. She was arrested Monday afternoon and is being held without bond in the Citrus County jail.

The boy was alone with his mother on January 27 and appeared to be “acting differently” by the time Arnett’s boyfriend returned, according to investigators. They said the infant also had blood in his mouth that had to be removed with a suction ball.

About 6:25 a.m. the next morning, Arnett and her boyfriend took the baby to Citrus Memorial Hospital, where medical staff tried for more than an hour to restore Hadley’s breathing, according to the affidavit.

Numerous marks were seen on the child’s body, including bruising on the left side of his rib cage and a bite mark on his left thigh, according to the affidavit. The injuries included brain hemorrhaging, a separated spine, broken ribs, and cuts inside his mouth.

An autopsy determined the injuries caused Hadley’s death.

On Feb. 4, Arnett admitted she caused the injuries that led to his death, the affidavit said.

Arnett said she was mad she was left alone with the child, according to the affidavit.

Around noon she placed him in his swing, and during the next few hours she slammed the child’s face into the tray on the swing, and grabbed the infant around the rib cage, yanking him from the swing so hard that his head swung back and forth without support, the affidavit said.