A 3-month-old boy died after being left alone for at least an hour with a bottle propped against his mouth by a stuffed sloth toy, according to investigators in Osceola County, Florida. Dane Edwards was arrested in St. Louis, Missouri, and extradited back to Florida, where he now faces a charge of manslaughter by aggravated child abuse in the 2024 death of the infant, identified in reports as Skylar Fisk.
Deputies Arrive to a Mother Performing CPR
The Osceola County Sheriff's Office was called to an apartment complex in Four Corners, outside Orlando, for a report of an unresponsive 3-month-old infant, according to WKRC. Reports differ on the exact date of that call: WESH reported the sheriff's office received the call on March 4, 2024, while Law&Crime reported deputies responded around 11:40 a.m. on March 5, 2024. When deputies arrived, they found the infant's mother performing CPR, while the father and Edwards were also on scene, per the WESH report.
Edwards told deputies he had given the baby a bottle of formula before placing him in a swing, and was reportedly present when the child was later found unconscious. Per the same account, doctors told homicide detectives the infant had aspirated on formula, and the boy was taken to the hospital, where he died. Law&Crime's report adds detail to that timeline, stating Edwards told investigators he fed the baby around 8 a.m., placed him in a baby swing, and checked on him again around 11:30 a.m., when he found him blue and unresponsive. Doctors reportedly found a “voluminous amount” of milk formula in the boy's esophagus.
A Sloth Toy Tied to the Bottle
Investigators reportedly found a stuffed sloth animal toy and an eight-ounce bottle still wrapped and secure at the scene, according to the station's report. The Law&Crime account goes further, describing a stuffed toy sloth with a bottle tied around its arms found in the infant's room, and alleging that at least an hour passed during which the baby was left with the propped bottle unsupervised.
The infant's mother told investigators, and reportedly told everyone in the home including Edwards, that she was not comfortable with the toy being used to feed her son. According to the affidavit cited by Law&Crime, she had specifically asked everyone not to use the stuffed toy when feeding the baby.
Investigators Describe Death as Preventable
Autopsy results that came back in October 2025 indicated milk-based formula in the boy's lungs, and investigators described the death as preventable, according to Law&Crime. The affidavit stated that Edwards demonstrated a reckless disregard for human life, the outlet reported.
Edwards was arrested in St. Louis, Missouri, and extradited back to Florida, where he has been booked into the Osceola County Jail, according to WESH. He is charged with manslaughter by aggravated child abuse and, per the report, his bond has been set at $50,000. Reports also conflict on his age — WESH reported he is 24, while Law&Crime reported he is 23.
Experts Warn Against Propping Bottles
Lactation counselor Julie Paten told WESH that prop-feeding a baby can be dangerous, and she advocated for paced bottle-feeding to give caregivers greater control during feedings. The warning echoes broader guidance on infant feeding safety cited in state licensing standards, which caution that infants should not have their bottles propped during feedings.
