Cherokee County Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Aggravated Child Abuse

T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Local News

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ala. — Cherokee County District Attorney Summer McWhorter Summerford announced that Bobby Honeycutt has been sentenced to life in prison following a conviction for Aggravated Child Abuse, one of the most serious felony offenses under Alabama law.

The sentence was handed down on Monday, January 12, by Circuit Judge Andrew Hairston in Cherokee County Circuit Court. Honeycutt received the maximum sentence allowed for the offense after entering a guilty plea.

According to court records, the case stems from events that occurred on May 7, 2024, when Honeycutt arrived at Atrium Floyd Cherokee Medical Center with his 3-month-old son, telling hospital staff that the infant had stopped breathing and was turning blue. Due to the severity of the child’s condition, the infant was life-flighted to the Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, where he was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit in critical condition.

Medical professionals at the Children’s Hospital notified the Department of Human Resources (DHR) and law enforcement, prompting a full investigation. The Division Director of Child Abuse Pediatrics informed investigators that the infant showed no response to painful stimuli, no gag reflex, and no pupil response. The child was placed on a ventilator, and imaging revealed blood present on the frontal lobe of the brain.

Medical experts determined the injuries were consistent with Shaken Baby Syndrome, and doctors advised that the infant had only a slim chance of survival.

As a result of the investigation, Honeycutt was charged with Aggravated Child Abuse of a child under the age of six, a Class A felony. He later entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to life in the state penitentiary.

In a statement following the sentencing, District Attorney Summerford expressed gratitude and compassion for those involved in the case.

“Please continue to keep the family in your prayers. They have been so very helpful during this case, even while trying to process their own grief,” Summerford said. “Any case involving a child is hard. We try to balance the need to keep the public informed while also respecting the right of the family to privacy.”

She continued,

“This outcome cannot undo what has happened, but we hope it allows the family to move forward without worries about court dates and outcomes. Some cases just break the heart of everyone who is a part of it — this is one of those cases.”

Summerford also offered special recognition to Cedar Bluff Police Chief Jeremy Stepps, who served as the case agent, along with the medical professionals who provided care to the child. The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Brady Burns and District Attorney Summerford.

Continue following The Weekly Ledger News for all your local, late-breaking, and community news.

©️2026 The Weekly Ledger News. All rights reserved.

We Keep You Connected and Informed