Celebrity Justice
Billy Bob's Daughter Charged in Death of Baby

Amanda Brumfield, Billy Bob ThorntonWe've learned the oldest daughter of Billy Bob Thornton has been charged with child neglect in the death of a 1-year-old she was babysitting.

Amanda Brumfield told cops the child died in October after falling from her playpen, but a spokesman for the Ocoee Police Department said Amanda Brumfield's story didn't add up.

An autopsy determined the child suffered a fractured skull and a subdural hematoma due to blunt trauma.

Brumfield told police that after the baby had fallen, she discovered her tongue bleeding, so Brumfield cleaned it with a paper towel. She then says she began playing with the child, feeding her bananas and fruit snacks, and said she was "happy" and playful.

Brumfield then said she laid the child on the couch next to her and fell asleep. She says was awoken sometime later by the phone and decided to take the child back to the playpen. When she lifted her, Brumfield told cops she discovered her body was limp.

According to police, the call for help didn't come until two and a half hours after the original fall.

Brumfield is Thornton's child with his first wife, Melissa Gatlin.

UPDATE -- A rep for Thornton sent TMZ this statement: "Mr. Thornton is estranged from Amanda and has had no contact with her for quite some time, however when informed about this situation he commented that, 'Anytime a baby's life is lost is an unimaginable tragedy and my heart goes out to the baby's family and loved ones.'"



Tags: amanda brumfield, AmandaBrumfield, billy bob thornton, BillyBobThornton, florida, ocoee

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16. Yep, druggie rich trash! Angelina Jolie was part of that crowd when she was married to him but opted to change the "image" by seducing a man who could reflect well on her career. She's trash to the bone as well at the heart of it all. Just wait.. there will be a Mommy Dearest book about her in about 19 years.

Posted at 2:45PM on May 31st 2009 by san

17. It happened in October??? Our justice system is sure slow. Where have the parents been all this time?

Posted at 2:54PM on May 31st 2009 by Marilyn

18. Oh well, it must be because of my background. Social services will probably do an investiagion to see if it was abuse, but if a kid fell and his/her tongue was bleeding afterwards, there must have been some head trauma. Thats why I was thinking she should have called for help. Maybe she didn't know. I don't know that. Thats why they do child abuse investigations. Especially when the parents or whoever's story doesn't match the injury.

Posted at 3:10PM on May 31st 2009 by wuroi

19. So sad!!

Posted at 10:35PM on May 31st 2009 by kelc

20. I have had child CPR classes and so has my oldest daughter (neighborhood babysitter).. It's well known you don't lay a child down after a head injury, you watch for pupil dilation and you watch for uncoordinated movements. When my daughter was very small, she took a horrendous spill running up some stairs and went head first in to the next cement stair. She had the biggest goose egg you had ever seen. I called her doctor and they said keep her awake for 6 hours to be on the safe side, if I remember correctly its 2-4 hours after a fall.. I honestly believe if she had any form of training she would have never laid that baby down for a nap and watched to make sure the bump wasn't the reason why she was tired and going to sleep, at that point call 911 because you know there is something wrong..

Posted at 3:33PM on May 31st 2009 by Cali-co

21. I'm a mom, I feel sorry for the family of the child. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose a child. Nothing will bring the child back but, because the accused is the daughter of a celebrity they will go easier on her. She should be punished like any other accused individual. No matter if she made an honest mistake or not, someone should pay for this tragedy.

Posted at 3:40PM on May 31st 2009 by ara

22. You are so quick to judge! INNOCENT until proven guilty! GOD FORBID any of you be faced with this charge...She is in a bad place and doesn't need you judging.

Posted at 3:45PM on May 31st 2009 by Idiots

23. #11 must be in reference to my comment. I meant if a kid fell on his head (I don't know if it is his head cuz I wasn't there) and his tongue was bleeding afterwards. . I seriously doubt tongue biting (maybe unless you bit it really hard -still doubt cuz haven't seen that happen to often) would cause it to bleed anyways. Subdural hematomas is often seen in child abuse. It could have been a falling accident. I don't know. Thats why they do investigations. Although I haven't heard of a tongue bleeding, bleeding from the nose and ears occurs in basillar skull fractures. I don't know. I'm makeing guesses from what info tmz gave.

Posted at 3:55PM on May 31st 2009 by wuroi

24. I think it's sad that everyone keeps saying they hate this girl just because of who her father is. Nobody chooses who their dad is. Focus on the story, not Billy Bob. People are saying things like, " They're both white trash," but as far as I know, I've never met this chick and neither have most on you I'm sure. So how can anyone say what kind of person she is? Maybe she's nothing like her dad. And blunt force head trama can occor from a fall, I see nothing weird about that. The only thing she was really guilty of it seems was making a bad judement call by thinking it was not that bad. I feel horrible for the parents and the girl, this was not murder, it looks to me like a tragic accident.

Posted at 4:01PM on May 31st 2009 by Hannara

25. So what was Billy Bob's daughter doing babysitting? And was she paid for it? If so, why would the daughter of a famous actor be working as a babysitter when her red neck daddy is whooping it up in Hollywood! Oh, could he be a dead beat daddy??? Sounds like there's two tragedys' in this story!

Posted at 4:04PM on May 31st 2009 by CanadiansH8Billy-Bob

26. #22 - His daughter, Amnda is over 35 years old and hasn't spoken to her father in years. Why would he owe child support on a woman that age>>>

Posted at 4:21PM on May 31st 2009 by Marilyn

27. THORTON'S STATEMENT IS BASICALLY SAYING DON'T BOTHER ME, I DON'T KNOW HER.. NOT MY PROBLEM. GET LOST. PRETTY MUCH SUMS IT UP. AGREE, BILLY BOB WAS PROLLY A DEAD BEAT DAD.

Posted at 4:22PM on May 31st 2009 by 3 hot chics & 1 pimpin gangsta

28. The statement of a loving father. He's more worried about his image than the fact that his daughter is in a pile of trouble.

Posted at 4:26PM on May 31st 2009 by sushi

29. Hey #22 - Marilyn....where the hell does it say anything about child support in my post! What I'm suggesting is - regardless of age, if you're a parent and rolling in it and you have a daughter making a living by babysitting then you should be ashamed of yourself - no exceptions! If he was helping with $$$ then maybe this wouldn't have happened!

Posted at 6:08PM on May 31st 2009 by CanadiansH8Billy-Bob

30. This is sad.
It's hard to know what to think. The actress, Miranda Richardson, died several hours after what was described as a "minor" fall on a ski slope.
She said she felt "fine" and joked around and shrugged it off. But then later, she was taken to a hospital and died.

If the child really did fall, and they are charging her with neglect because she didn't take her to the hospital right away, it would be difficult to show perhaps, that there was something wrong.

Even adults weren't aware of the risks until all the publicity surrounding the Richardson tragedy.

My heart goes out to all involved.

Posted at 7:21PM on May 31st 2009 by Annie

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