Parents arrested in Kissimmee motel child abuse case now facing murder charge, records show

Orlando Sentinel - 8/10/2022

Two parents jailed last month after Osceola County deputy sheriffs found one of their children suffered a brain bleed after their head was found in the toilet in a Kissimmee hotel room are now being accused of murder, jail records show.

Larry Rhodes, 22, and longtime girlfriend Bianca Blaise, 25, face second-degree murder charges and six counts of child neglect with great bodily harm, court records show. Rhodes was also charged with one county of aggravated child abuse and another for aggravated manslaughter. He’s currently in the Osceola County Jail without bond.

Sheriff Marcos López will discuss the case at press conference for Wednesday afternoon.

Blaise told deputies she arrived at the Knights Inn room July 5 where they were staying with their six children when they found one of them with their head in the toilet, as if the child was “drinking from the bowl.”

At the hospital, doctors found the child had suffered a brain bleed, which led them to put the child on life support. The child also had a collarbone fracture and scrapes on their torso that were “too many to count.”

Authorities found extensive injuries on the other children as well, including cuts, bruises and abrasions. They also found a sandal that had blood on the sole.

Blaise initially told deputies she hadn’t witnessed Rhodes hitting the children and that the injuries were from them roughhousing with each other. But she later described her boyfriend of seven years as having repeatedly beaten them “if he does not like their behavior.”

She also told deputies she considered leaving him but lacked the financial support to do so.

She was released from jail on bond shortly after she was arrested in July. An attorney representing her did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

creyes-rios@orlandosentinel.com