US Man Accused Of Beating His 12-Year-Old Son To Death With A Baseball Bat

A 52-year-old Connecticut man, Anthony Andrew Esposito Jr., has been charged with murder and attempted murder after a violent incident at his home in Branford. According to officials, Esposito allegedly beat his 12-year-old son, Anthony P. Esposito, to death with a baseball bat and attempted to kill his 16-year-old daughter, People reported.  The incident occurred on Thursday, leaving the community in shock.

As per the police report, cops responded to a distress call from a woman who believed someone had been killed at Anthony Esposito's condo on Hemlock Road. Upon arrival, officers found the 12-year-old son with severe head trauma in the basement, and he was pronounced dead shortly after. Meanwhile, Esposito had fled the scene in his silver Chrysler Pacifica, prompting a search effort.

He was apprehended on Thursday after a traffic stop with Connecticut State Police assistance. During his arraignment, prosecutors revealed Esposito Jr. allegedly admitted to the crime because his son "treated him disrespectfully and would use expletives with him". He also claimed to hear voices, including those of his allegedly abusive parents, and stated the voices instructed him on May 1 to "not let him get away with it." The 52-year-old said he heard the voices saying, "Baseball, baseball bat."

According to Esposito's account, after the incident with his son, he picked up his 16-year-old daughter from a bus stop and had an uneventful ride home. Upon arriving, he told her his son was in the basement, and as they approached the stairs, he intentionally pushed her, causing her to fall near her brother's body. He admitted that he intended to kill his daughter with the same baseball bat if he could have accessed it after pushing her down the stairs, but she managed to escape the basement. He then left the scene in his car.

His defence attorney revealed Esposito Jr.'s history of mental health issues, including childhood psychiatric hospitalisations and hearing voices, as noted in the police report. 

During his arraignment on May 2, the judge noted the severity of the allegations and warned that he could face life imprisonment without parole due to the "horrendous nature" of the charges.