MERRITT ISLAND, FL – Two parents are facing murder and child abuse charges after a lengthy investigation into the 2021 death of their 2-month-old son revealed disturbing details, authorities said.
Donovan Winter, 26, and Belle Winter, 23, have been charged with first-degree felony murder and aggravated child abuse in connection with the death of their infant, according to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. Donovan Winter was arrested June 17, 2025, and Belle Winter was later apprehended in Pennsylvania, where she had relocated after the child’s death.
Officials attributed the delay in charging the couple to the complexity of the investigation, which involved extensive analyses of medical records, text messages, and interviews. Detectives retrieved several cellphone messages between the parents that outlined their struggles coping with the infant’s excessive crying and their frustration during bedtime routines.
Authorities responded to the Winters’ residence in Merritt Island in June 2021, where they found the baby’s body lying face down in a bassinet. The infant was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy conducted by the Brevard County Medical Examiner’s Office later determined that the baby died as a result of multiple blunt-force injuries to the head.
Text messages exchanged between the couple from late March to early June 2021 revealed frequent complaints about their baby’s inconsolable crying. Investigators say both Donovan and Belle described being overwhelmed and repeatedly discussed difficulties handling the child’s nightly fussiness.
The arrest affidavit states Donovan Winter sent messages indicating exhaustion and irritation, once saying, “I’ll do what I normally do,” and suggesting that the baby would be sleeping throughout Belle Winter’s work shifts. In their post-incident interviews, both parents denied knowing how the baby suffered fatal injuries.
Belle Winter reportedly told investigators she had taken a lengthy shower after returning from work on the night of the child’s death. When she later checked on the baby, she saw signs of distress and that the child’s body “was very stiff,” according to the affidavit.
When questioned about possible physical abuse, Belle denied ever shaking the infant. Donovan stated he would move the child in attempts to soothe him but initially denied harming the baby. He eventually admitted to tossing the infant into the air two weeks before the baby’s death and failing to catch him, which resulted in the child falling. He did not seek medical attention for the baby at the time.
Witnesses told investigators the infant appeared healthy in the weeks leading up to June 1, 2021. Photos and video recovered from the parents’ devices showed the baby alive and in the same clothing seen on the day of his death.
Investigators noted inconsistencies in the parents’ accounts and conducted follow-up interviews. Donovan Winter described the bedtime routine, explaining that he attempted to rock and sway the baby to sleep while feeling increasingly frustrated. He admitted he might have been too rough with the child, claiming not to realize his own strength.
According to the affidavit, Donovan demonstrated to law enforcement the way he held the baby vertically while jumping up and down. He said that after putting the baby face down in the bassinet with a pacifier, the crying ceased.
Both Donovan and Belle Winter remain in custody at the Brevard County Jail, held without bond pending further legal proceedings.