The mother of the 10-month-old victim told authorities that she allowed Middleton to babysit because she trusted him. She asked her friend to watch the little boy on October 13, apparently needing the sitter for more than a day. Within a day of caring for the infant, the mother says Middleton called her to claim that a cat had scratched the boy. Later, Middleton sent a text claiming that the lad had bumped his head.
When the mother picked the infant up on October 15, she noted that he was covered with burns and bruises. The police were called immediately, and the 10-month-old victim was taken to for medical treatment.
Detectives say that Sean Anthony Middleton has admitted to abusing the infant, but claims that he did so out of frustration. The 21-year-old babysitter allegedly bruised the boy's chest when he wouldn't stop crying. He also admitted to burning the child's back with a lighter, "for no reason," other than he "entertains his thoughts." This horrifying statement indicates that the Oregon man was torturing the helpless baby that was put in his care by a trusting mother.
On top of the injuries the boy suffered from hands-on abuse, he was also dehydrated and had not had eaten in the days that he was in Middleton's care. In other words, the child was starved and deprived of anything to drink, while he was being beaten and burned with lighters. Furthermore, the baby tested positive for THC.