Taylor Schaefer (30), a Florida mother, was sentenced to 60 years in prison after pleading no contest to charges including aggravated child abuse, conspiracy to commit child neglect with great bodily harm, and failure to report child abuse.
Abuse Details
The ordeal involved Schaefer’s then-5-year-old son, whom she allowed her boyfriend Shawn M. Stone (35) to repeatedly beat and torture. Key horrors from home surveillance video:
- Child handcuffed or bound with hands behind his back for hours, including nearly a full day (6:43 p.m. to 2:02 p.m. next day).
- Placed in a dog cage; beaten with a mop handle, punched, kicked; deprived of food.
- Legs, feet, arms, and torso bound while Stone loomed over him.
- Schaefer witnessed visible injuries (limping, bruises) but provided no medical care; she even told the boy to “stand up straight” amid abuse sounds.
The boy suffered dozens of injuries (at least 46 visible), including a fractured skull and internal damage.
Additional Victims and Arrest
- Another child forced to ingest/drink boiling water, sprayed with it, and beaten with household objects.
- A third child denied nutrition and care for a serious medical condition.
- May 2023: Schaefer reviewed video confirming abuse, called police—but omitted her complicity. Stone fled on a four-wheeler after a final beating; arrested May 9.
Legal Outcomes
- Schaefer’s 60-year sentence from Volusia County court; kids placed in safe care.
- Stone faces aggravated child abuse, false imprisonment, and neglect causing great bodily harm; remains jailed without bond, case pending.
- Sheriff Mike Chitwood called it unimaginable torture, promoting a GoFundMe for the children.
This case exposes enabling as abuse—60 years reflects the severity. Volusia County Sheriff’s Office updates likely cover Stone’s trial.
