Florida Couple Charged With Starving 9-Year-Old Girl and Extreme Neglect

A father and his wife in Escambia County, Florida, are facing serious charges after allegedly starving a 9-year-old girl to the point where she weighed just 45 pounds. Justin Patrick Redd, 33, and Brittney Michelle Redd, 28, have been charged with aggravated child abuse, child neglect causing great bodily harm, and failing to require school attendance.

The investigation into the case began when the severely malnourished girl was admitted to Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital in late December 2024. She had blood in her urine and was suffering from severe malnutrition and hematuria. After a two-week stay at UF Health Shands Hospital, where she gained approximately 19 pounds, she revealed that her living conditions with the Redds were extremely harsh.

The girl told medical staff and investigators that she had been locked inside an empty bedroom "with a metal chain outside her door" since Justin Redd gained custody in 2023. She was fed only oatmeal twice daily or occasionally cold canned beans, denied access to regular bathroom breaks, and made to take cold showers without towels. After these showers, she was reportedly forced to shake off like a dog due to the lack of drying materials.

The child also alleged that her stepmother would make her wear only pull-up diapers when she soiled herself because the bedroom door remained locked. She described being forbidden from having friends or celebrating holidays and birthdays, and being told she was dangerous to others and a thief. Despite these conditions, hospital records showed significant weight gain whenever the girl was outside the defendants' custody.

Medical professionals observed that the child consistently asked for more food rather than less during her stays at Shands Hospital, eating everything provided to her. School records also contradicted the Redds' claims, showing no behavioral or medical issues while she attended school before being withdrawn in May 2024 by Justin Redd without a documented medical recommendation.

Teachers described the girl as a typical third-grader who ate all of her meals at school and exhibited none of the problems claimed by the defendants. The affidavit further alleges that the couple missed numerous scheduled medical appointments while the child's condition deteriorated.

Based on this evidence, investigators concluded that both Justin and Brittney Redd should face charges for their actions. After being discharged from Shands Hospital in January 2025, the girl was placed with another family member where she rapidly gained weight and returned to a normal classroom setting by March, described as sweet and shy.

The case highlights severe instances of child neglect and abuse that can occur behind closed doors, emphasizing the importance of thorough investigations and cross-referencing medical, school, and counseling records in such cases.