St. Lucie County man charged with severely abusing newborn baby

On July 18, South Florida’s St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of a local man charged with the most horrific of domestic crimes, the brutal physical abuse of a newborn baby.  The man arrested and charged with beating and harming the baby has been identified as 33-year-old James Longendyck.

Background: On March 29, 2025, St. Lucie County detectives were dispatched to HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital in response to a report of a suspected child abuse case involving a three-month-old infant. Exercising their due diligence, medical personnel at HCA notified law enforcement upon discovering injuries on the baby consistent with both recent and past trauma. Detectives said that the hospital staff’s prompt and thorough response played a critical role in initiating the criminal investigation into the child’s injuries.

The injuries identified by the hospital staff included:

• broken and healed fractures of the number three and four ribs,
• a healed fracture of the left tibia (lower leg), and,
• an acute torsion fracture of the right humerus (upper arm).

Due to the severity of the injuries, the child was transferred to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach for further evaluation and treatment.

The investigation into the suspected child abuse moved forward to include medical evaluations, witness interviews, forensic evidence analysis, and collaboration with child protection specialists – with probable cause being established to support criminal charges.  On July 18, 2025, an arrest warrant was issued for James Longendyck on charges of Aggravated Child Abuse Causing Great Bodily Harm – in connection with the injuries sustained by the three-month-old infant.

Also on July 18, Longendyck was arrested by St. Lucie County Detectives attached to the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. As of yesterday, Longendyck was incarcerated at the St. Lucie County Jail with a $50,000.00 bond.

“Harming a defenseless child is inexcusable,” said Sheriff Richard Del Toro. “If you harm a child or prey on the most vulnerable in St. Lucie County, you will be held accountable. Our deputies will find you; they will arrest you, and you will face the full force of the law.” 

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(Source and image of James Longendyck being arrested: St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office)

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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