Man on probation charged with taking baby from home without permission, shaking the baby, and battering two women

Staff report

ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Lyndon Bernard Boykins III, 29, of Archer, was arrested yesterday and charged with burglary with battery, interfering with the custody of a minor, child abuse without great bodily harm, and battery after allegedly taking a baby from a home without permission, shaking it to prevent the baby’s mother from taking the child, and battering two women who tried to stop him from taking the baby.

At about 7:28 p.m. on June 19, Boykins allegedly went to the home of a former girlfriend without being invited, entered her unlocked residence, picked up a baby, and left with the baby. The responding Alachua County Sheriff’s deputy noted that the baby is Boykins’ biological child, but he does not have custody of the baby and does not live at the residence.

When the baby’s mother learned that Boykins had taken her child, she ran outside, but when he saw her, he allegedly began violently shaking the baby to prevent her from taking the baby. A second woman came to assist the baby’s mother, and Boykins allegedly punched her in the face. The baby’s mother reportedly took the baby from Boykins, but he allegedly pushed her as she was trying to take the baby from him.

Witnesses reportedly said that Boykins shook the child so violently that the child’s unsupported head “flopped” from side to side, and the witnesses were concerned that the shaking would injure the baby. Witnesses reportedly told the responding deputy that the baby’s mother made multiple verbal requests to Boykin to return her baby before she physically took the baby.

The deputy reported that the baby and the mother sustained no visible injuries.

Post Miranda, Boykins reportedly admitted that he went to the residence without being invited, entered without permission, and stayed inside the residence for about 10 minutes before he took the baby and left. He said the baby’s mother attacked him when he was outside the residence. He reportedly had scratches on his arms and neck, but the deputy reported that they appeared to be several days old and had begun healing.

Boykins has two felony convictions (one violent) and one misdemeanor conviction. He has served one state prison sentence and was released in 2012. He was sentenced to 36 months of probation in May 2024 after entering a plea of nolo contendere to possession of MDPV; another drug possession charge and charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana were dropped. Senior Judge Aymer “Buck” Curtin ordered him held without bail, pending a hearing on a motion by the State Attorney’s Office to hold him without bail until trial.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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