Tampa Mother Who Beat 4-Year-Old Son to Death to Remain Behind Bars Until Trial

CONTACT: Erin Maloney, Communications Director

Office of the State Attorney, 13th Judicial Circuit

(813) 557-3366 | Erin.Maloney@sao13th.com

TAMPA, FL (July 3, 2024) — The Tampa woman responsible for brutally beating her 4-year-old son to death will remain behind bars until trial. Chief of Major Crimes John Terry successfully argued that 37-year-old Arayia Hudson should not be granted bond. Hudson is charged with first-degree murder while engaged in aggravated child abuse.

A Tampa Police homicide detective testified that Hudson admitted to repeatedly hitting the little boy and slamming his head into the bathroom wall after the boy made a mess in the bathroom. Hudson’s 9-year-old child also told police he witnessed the beating, and the victim was “almost unconscious” after getting kicked and hit by his mother. The Medical Examiner’s Office found that the 4-year-old victim died from blunt force trauma to the torso and head.

After initially lying about the child’s injuries, Hudson admitted to police she struck him multiple times and used tinted sunscreen to conceal bruises around his eyes in the days following the abuse. Hudson’s two other children also told police that their mother would regularly force them to hold the 4-year-old’s hands back to keep him from protecting his body while she beat him.

“The facts of this case will make anyone’s stomach churn. This defendant stole the life of an innocent child, and we will make sure she is held accountable for this horrific crime. This young boy’s family should be planning for him to begin kindergarten, not planning his funeral. We will make sure this defendant doesn’t have a chance to hurt another innocent child again,” said State Attorney Suzy Lopez.

State Attorney Lopez leads a team of talented prosecutors and professional staff who are responsible for all criminal prosecutions in the 13th Judicial Circuit. The State Attorney’s Office is committed to keeping the public informed about the outcomes of major court cases to ensure transparency and accountability. We believe it is of utmost importance for the public to understand how our justice system operates in order to build trust. To learn more about the outcome of cases prosecuted in our office, you can follow us on social media:

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