Chet Lloyd, 34, was arrested Wednesday and charged with domestic assault and drug possession, and later released on bond
The father of a three-year-old boy who was found dead in a clothes dryer has been arrested for assaulting the child’s mother.
Virginia man Chet Lloyd, 34, was arrested on Wednesday after he allegedly assaulted his ex-girlfriend Amanda Ray, who is the boy’s mother, and broke her cellphone.
He reportedly attacked her last week outside a funeral home where the two were making arrangements for their son Brantley Lloyd who was found dead in the clothes dryer on August 7.
He was charged with domestic assault of a family member, damaging the victim’s cellphone, as well as drug possession as he was found with one gram of cocaine. He was later released on bond.
Ray confirmed to AP that Lloyd assaulted her outside the funeral home.
A funeral for three-year-old Brantley was held on Saturday which Lloyd did not attend, according to The Virginia Pilot.
Lloyd allegedly assaulted his ex-girlfriend Amanda Ray, the mother of his son Brantley Lloyd (above), last week outside a funeral home where they were making arrangements for the child. Lloyd claims he found Brantley dead in the clothes dryer machine of his home on August 7
Brantley had been living with his father (center) since his parents’ break-up in 2017
Lloyd (pictured with his three children) claimed Brantley (seen in his dad’s arms as a baby) had been up all night having tantrums and throwing up before he was found unresponsive in the clothes dryer
The investigation into Brantley’s death continues after his father claims the child must have climbed out of his crib and entered the machine.
The day before was the child’s birthday and the father said Brantley was in a bad mood, throwing tantrums.
Lloyd said he slept late the following day and didn’t go to work after staying up all night with his son, who was throwing up. When he woke up he found the child unresponsive.
Lloyd said he had been doing laundry the day beforehand and that the little boy must have climbed inside the dryer.
‘He was unresponsive and covered in sweat and extremely hot,’ Lloyd told The Virginia Pilot. ‘I don’t know if he panicked and couldn’t get out. He had asthma.’
Brantley’s mother Amanda Ray (pictured left with her son) didn’t live at the home with Lloyd and reveals she doesn’t believe her ex’s claims saying: ‘Nothing is adding up’
Amanda Ray said she does not understand how he died and wants answers. Police are still investigating the child’s death
The child’s mother Amanda Ray doesn’t live at the home and says that her ex’s claims make little sense.
‘Nothing is adding up,’ she said to ABC. ‘I don’t understand how my baby was in a dryer. I don’t understand how he died.’
Ray said she lived with Lloyd, Brantley and her two other children in his home before the relationship ended in early 2017.
Lloyd was evicted from his townhome a week after the boy’s death.
An autopsy has been completed but the cause and manner of death are yet to be determined, according to Donna Price, regional administrator for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Norfolk.
Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Kathy Hieatt said Lloyd was booked around 8.30pm Wednesday and released on bond two hours later.
He is scheduled to appear in court on September 4.