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Orange County judge orders toddler returned to mother 3 weeks before child's ‘suspicious' death

By Mike Manzoni
By Mike Manzoni
Less than three weeks before an 18-month old boy died under what police are calling suspicious circumstances, an Orange County judge ordered the child’s custody given to his mother, court records show.
According to court filings, the child, Moor Lysias, had lived with his father since he was four months old, before the judge’s order.
Raw video: Deputies give update on suspicious death of toddler
His mother, Tamika Young, petitioned the court on Sept. 27 for custody, arguing that the boy’s father, Frino Lysias, was “unemployed (and) does not have his own residence.”
WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said the judge didn't have a choice in awarding custody to Young.
"The father had not established parental rights pursuant to Florida statutes," he said. "The court had no choice but to return the child to the mother.
"Had the father established paternal rights, the outcome of this hearing may have been completely different."
Even after the judge’s order, a Broward County deputy told Orange County investigators that she didn’t feel comfortable returning the child to his mother.
The deputy did not say why she felt that way.
The child was found dead inside a home on Killington Way on Sunday.

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Young's roommate, who was not identified, called 911 when Moor was found unresponsive, deputies said.
While Young, 23, was taken from the scene in handcuffs for a mental evaluation, investigators were still investigating the death and no charges have been filed.
Records show that Orange County deputies have responded to the home 16 times since August of last year. 
Resident Feris Sulaiman lives next door to the home.
He said he called 911 a few months ago when he saw Young acting strange as she walked up and down the street.
“She’s just walking in the middle of the street and yelling, singing and she didn’t look at us,” he said. “We were afraid she may go to the main street.”
Of the 16 visits since August, three of them were for a mental health situation, records show.
Deputies also went out several times for fights, rescues and what where listed as general investigations.

Cox Media Group

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