Woman Charged With Telling Child Through Gaming Platform To Murder Infant
October 21, 2024
A 36-year-old Escambia County woman has been charged with allegedly instructing a child to murder an infant through a on online gaming platform.
Tara Alexis Sykes was charged with attempted murder while engaged in aggravated child abuse.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said Sykes had instructed a 10-year-old to purposefully drop a 2-month-old on a solid tile floor in an attempt to end the infant’s life.
On October 17th, ECSO investigators were contacted by the Gulf Coast Kids House in reference to a 2-month-old infant who had suffered serious injuries after being dropped on the kitchen floor by a 10-year-old. During the investigation, it was learned that the 10-year-old was communicating with Tara Sykes through the gaming platform Roblox.
The ECSO said that in the communication thread, Sykes instructed the 10-year-old on various methods to kill the infant. Sykes instructed the 10-year-old to drown the infant in the bathtub, burn the infant with scalding water, and drop the infant on the floor to kill the infant. Additionally, investigators said Sykes had instructed the 10-year-old on how to kill the adults the 10-year-old was temporarily living with by cutting their throats with a knife while they slept and burning their house by dousing bed sheets with aerosol spray and setting them on fire. The 10-year-old doused the sheets but was unable to carry out the other instructions.
Deputies said the “investigation will continue, and additional charges are possible as investigators continue to unwind this tragedy.”
“I have been in Law Enforcement for over 40 years and have never seen anything quite like this. I am truly disturbed by the circumstances and the thought that anyone could think like this, let alone instruct these acts to be carried out. There is something really wrong with her,” Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simons said.
Late On The Rent: Escambia County To Dispose Of RV Left Behind At Lake Stone
October 21, 2024
Escambia County will dispose of a dilapidated recreational that was abandoned at Lake Stone near Century after the owner did not pay rent.
Back in September, Escambia County Parks and Recreation asked Code Enforcement to assist with the removal of an abandoned camper that had been stored at the Lake Stone Campground since August 2024. Officials said the owner of the camper was two months behind on rent, and the owner, as identified by the vehicle registration, was mailed two notices.
Last week, the Escambia County Commission voted to remove and dispose of the RV. Staff noted that the rental agreement for the Lake Stone Campground states that any abandoned camper will be removed after 31 days.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Triumph Oil Spill Grant To Re-Establish Automotive Services Academy At Tate High School
October 20, 2024
An Automotive Service Academy will be created at Tate High School, thanks to a Triumph Gulf Coast grant.
The Triumph Board voted to approve a grant of up to $617,227 to Escambia County Public Schools to re-establish the Automotive Service Academy at Tate High School.
Triumph funds will be used to renovate and equip the former Auto Body building with modern equipment and hands-on labs for the Automotive Service Academy.
“This Triumph grant provides our students with opportunities to grow in the classroom with hands-one opportunities and allows us to expand the programs we can offer our students here on campus,” Tate Principal Laura Touchstone said. “It gives us the opportunity to give back to the community. Obviously, there is a need in the community for automotive, and by us having that academy, we are preparing our students for the workforce.”
Students will troubleshoot, diagnose, and repair vehicles, as well as provide routine maintenance on a variety of modern automobiles. This project will have a classroom academic component, but the primary learning environment will be the academy’s automotive service shop and will guarantee completion of 225 Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certificates by the end of the 2029-2030 academic year.
Triumph Gulf Coast is a nonprofit corporation organized to oversee the expenditure of 75 percent of all funds recovered by the Florida attorney general for economic damages to the state that resulted from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
NorthEscambia.com graphic.
Firefighters Battle McDavid Wildfire; Forest Service Discourages Outdoor Burning
October 20, 2024
The Florida Forest Service (FFS) and Escambia County Fire Rescue battled an equipment blaze and resulting wildfire near McDavid Saturday afternoon.
The fire was in a wooded area about 4 p.m. near Cotton Creek off the 1500 block of North Pine Barren Road, about a mile south of Highway 164.
A Forest Service helicopter that just happened to be flying across the area spotting the fire, which involved equipment known as a feller buncher along with about three acres, Florida Forest Service Wildfire Mitigation Specialist Joe Zwierzchowski of the Blackwater Forestry Center told NorthEscambia.com. He said the helicopter made 32 water drops on the fire. Each drop was about 300 gallons, or 9,600 gallons total taken from a pond in the area.
The McDavid and Walnut Hill Stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, along with a tractor and crews from the Forest Service responded to the fire from the ground. The wildfire was reported contained by about 5:30 p.m., and the equipment fire was extinguished a short time later.
A feller buncher is a harvester used in the logging industry to cut and bunch trees. The machine cuts down trees, holds them and places them on the ground.
While the cause of the fire was not immediately known, Zwierzchowski was quick to urge area residents to refrain from any outdoor burning.
“As dry as it is, we need significant rainfall before any burns outside,” he said. “A quick shower or two won’t be enough. We need a good steady rain first.”
There is no chance of rain in the local forest over the next week.
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Day Of Caring Projects Completed at Jim Allen, Tate, Lipscomb
October 19, 2024
Volunteer groups fanned out across Escambia County Friday for the United Way of West Florida’s 31st Annual Day of Caring.
Day of Caring is a community-wide initiative that connects volunteers and resources with local agencies and schools needing support. Escambia and Santa Rosa counties Hundreds of people worked together to complete all kinds of projects that provide additional capacity to the organizations and institutions that keep our community strong.
Since 1993, United Way of West Florida has coordinated more than 28,000 volunteers to complete projects across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
About 850 volunteers took part in Friday’s Day of Caring, including volunteers at Jim Allen Elementary and Tate High schools.
A team from International Paper in Cantonment volunteered at Jim Allen Elementary School. They put a new coat of paint on the school’s basketball games, four square games and installed new basketball nets in a playground refresh.
Nearly 20 dedicated volunteers from the local Publix rolled up their sleeves to assist in a campus beautification project at Tate High School. Their efforts focused on revitalizing the front entrance by excavating overgrown plants and weeds, transforming the space in between the Jennings building into a welcoming environment for students and staff alike.
“A heartfelt thank you goes out to all the amazing volunteers who participated. Their hard work and commitment have made a lasting positive impact on Tate and exemplify the power of community collaboration,” Tate High School Assistant Principal Paul Lovely said.
At Lipscomb Elementary School, a team from Navy Federal Credit Union used paint to transform the school, adding new life and vibrancy to the campus.
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Escambia County Extends SEC Women’s Soccer, Sun Belt Basketball Championship Agreements
October 18, 2024
Escambia County has approved new agreements to host the Southeastern Conference Women’s Soccer Championships and the Sun Belt Conference Basketball Championships through the end of the end of the decade.
The SEC Women’s Soccer Championships were first held at Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex in 2022, with the first agreement continuing to 2024 for the tournament that begins November 3. Under the new agreement approved Thursday, the SEC Women’s Soccer Championships will continue to be hosted by the county and Pensacola Sports at Ashton Brosnaham off 10 Mile Road in 2025 and 2026 with an option to renew for three on-year periods through 2029.
The 2022 event saw record-breaking attendance numbers and generated $2.5 million in local economic impact, according to Escambia County, with several million more in 2023.
An agreement to host the 2021-2025 Sun Belt Conference Basketball Championships at the county-owned Pensacola Bay Center was also extended Thursday. Under the new agreement, the Sun Belt tournament will continue at the Bay Center for 2026-2030.
“Thrilled. Absolutely thrilled,” Pensacola Sports President Ray Palmer said Thursday afternoon. “One of the things that is so exciting is the reality that when these conferences find a home, and a neutral site home, it really takes years to grow the event they way they want it to grow, and we want it to grow.”
“The fact that they believe in what we are doing…I just think we couldn’t be prouder,” Palmer added.
Pictured: The record-setting SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament at Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex in October 2022. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Baseball Hits A Home Run With Fall Halloween Costume Game (With Gallery)
October 17, 2024
Tate Aggie Baseball hosted their annual Fall Baseball Halloween Game Wednesday.
The event started with trunk or treat with the players, and an exhibition game with players in full costume.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Chili, hot dogs and more were available.
There were also games and prizes for the kids between innings.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
