Gordon Dugger III Killed Lily
November 3, 2008 by Jaded
Lakeland, FL–Gordon Finley Dugger III, 24, was a friend of Steven and April Edwards. The Edwards’ trusted Dugger enough to let him live in their home, he’d been living there since July. They trusted him enough to care for their 15-month-old daughter Lily. He had sat for her on numerous occasions and managed to do so without harming the child. So Friday evening, Steven and April had no problem leaving him in charge of Lily while they went out for the evening. Something bad happened, breaking the Edwards’ trust and their baby.
Lily’s parents left their home at about 7 p.m. FridayFriday reviews
evening. They were still gone at 1:30 a.m. when Lily awoke, crying and fussy. Like any good babysitter, Dugger tried many different techniques to calm the baby. He rocked her. He bounced her on his knee. He tossed her about 5 1/2 feet into the air and allowed her to land on the back of her head. Unconsciousness calms them, every time.
Well, he got what he wanted and she was finally quiet. But now he wanted her to wake up. He put his less than admirable CPR skills to work. To revive her, he thought it would be a good idea to shake her around a bit. Aggressively. When that didn’t work, he thought maybe smacking her in the head would bring her around. So he hit her in the back of the head, about 10 times. Each blow to her already injured head landed harder and harder. That technique failed miserably as well. He finally put in a call to 911.
Lily was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical center and pronounced dead at 2:45 a.m. It was determined that she died from blunt force trauma to the head and the death was declared a homicide. Dugger was arrested and booked into Polk County Jail Friday night. Bond amount is not available. Dugger is being charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child, a felony.
Let’s hope this baby killing monster never again has a taste of freedom. RIP little Lily.
11:28 am on November 3rd, 2008
Wow. Poor baby. And what is that thing on his face? Cold sore? Mutant mole? The beginnings of his filthy soul eating through his flesh?
11:38 am on November 3rd, 2008
Man. Poor baby and family. The mom really cared for her child. But it’s weird though. He has a picture up in his myspace that has his arm all cut up and…well it just seems weird. I hope he really gets what’s coming to him.
12:20 pm on November 3rd, 2008
Ugghh I thought the same thing – disguesting!
Like I said before I will never understand how you can hurt/kill a poor innocent child. Walk away, just walk away. Crying in another room they will be okay……Get your senses and then try again.
12:43 pm on November 3rd, 2008
Actually, I find myself heavily attracted to the meth mouth sores. It adds a certain air of “does he have AIDS?”-like mystery.
For me, only the highest quality fellows to insert a quarter into my pinball machine.
2:03 pm on November 3rd, 2008
I am so sad for that poor mom and dad. You can tell how much she loved her daughter. She has tons and tons of pics of her daughter each month.
My son & her daughter are only 13 days apart & weighed the same at birth. I would honestly die if I were in her shoes right after I killed the POS that hurt my child. And she has been through a lot this year. She has lost several family members & her mother is dying of cancer & now she loses her only child!
2:39 pm on November 3rd, 2008
Mom appears to still be on Dugger’s friends list and her page just breaks my heart. Not only did she just lose her daughter, but it also seems that her own mother is losing a battle with cancer. My thoughts are with the family. How terrible.
3:09 pm on November 3rd, 2008
How absolutely sad. R.I.P little angel. You know, Im not a fan of the cry it out method, but if you get to the point where you’ve done everything you can think of and baby still isnt happy, put her in bed, shut the door and watch some t.v. Baby will still be alive the next day even if you have a headache. Dumbass!
It’s way creepy but this guy looks just like my 7 year olds father. The eyes, the nose, the mouth. He was psycho and beat me a year after she was born, we broke up while he was in jail. I am just so happy he never got a chance to hurt her like this…and I can see him getting just as mad and doing the same thing.
3:12 pm on November 3rd, 2008
I’m taking a look at the mom’s myspace too.
She or someone is on right now. I feel SO bad for her and her hubby. Seems they did everything right, this guy happened to snap on a kid in the middle of the night.
Reading her comments of flowers and stuff, and her mom, is so sad.
RIP little Angel
3:45 pm on November 3rd, 2008
All he had to do was hold her-she might have cired, but if he was holding her she would have given up eventually… Just so sad-that poor little girl was probably loved like a princess right up to that moment in her life. Probably never even knew what it was to be hurt. Hope and pray that she did not suffer or feel that pain for long…
What an asshole…
4:29 pm on November 3rd, 2008
I want to run and hold my ltlle boy closer than ever.
4:29 pm on November 3rd, 2008
Tee-hee! That is the first thing I noticed (before I read the story). What a fucknut.
Please tell me that they will allow Lily’s daddy to have a few minutes alone with him prior to sending him to prison for the rest of his life.
4:35 pm on November 3rd, 2008
I’m guessing that’s what his ass-face is all about already. He probably got a lick in before they hauled him off. Or maybe a nite stick accidentally fell out of the fine officers grip and onto his face…
At any rate, I bet he has lots more bruises now..
4:38 pm on November 3rd, 2008
That is an awesome thought – true or not. I’m gonna run with it.
5:50 pm on November 3rd, 2008
Wow. Poor baby. And what is that thing on his face? Cold sore? Mutant mole? “The beginnings of his filthy soul eating through his flesh? ”
One can only hope .
Why is it that these people seem to think that the only alternative to stop a baby/child from crying is to inflict pain? What do they think is going to happen when they hit a baby or child? They cry more .
As mentioned by others, put the baby in its bed , close the door , walk away , until you have composed yourself. Damn it call someone to come help you with the child if you need to. Call the parents and ask them to come home. Do whatever you need to do to in order to keep the child safe. There is no reason EVER, to harm a child.
My sympathies and prayers are with the parents and family of baby Lily.
Rest in Peace little one .
5:59 pm on November 3rd, 2008
Well, that’s what I like to think anyway…
6:00 pm on November 3rd, 2008
Oh, dear God…this sweet beautiful angel gone never to be held or kissed by her mama again. Why? such a tragic and meaningless death.
I can see how much this little baby girl was loved…so adored. I can’t seem to find the words that truly express my sorrow for the mother and her family.
I looked at her pictures and this baby girl was her mama’s little shadow, her only child…how will she find the strength to continue? I pray that she gets all the love and support she will need at this time. I also hope that the man who killed Lily will know nothing but misery for the remainder of his life…I hope it is short lived so he can truly face retribution in hell.
My heart goes out to you April. May peace and comfort find your angel amongst the angels.
Rest in peace beautiful Lily.
6:08 pm on November 3rd, 2008
Oh, I hate that these baby killing ass hats. Why can’t they ever seem to just take 5 or 10 if needed? Seems like you can’t trust anyone with your child these days. So sad.
6:13 pm on November 3rd, 2008
That’s exactly what I was thinking, too. Looks like a big ol’ bruise to me. His lower lip appears to be split, too. Maybe a little. We can only hope.
6:47 pm on November 3rd, 2008
It looks like road rash, to me, like he took a spill and landed on his face. That happened to me a few weeks ago, and I have a very similar looking wound on my upper lip. Cute, I know.
7:07 am on November 4th, 2008
oh my god. I’m not one for tears… but looking at the mother’s myspace actually made me cry….
I don’t even know what to say. It’s so sad.
12:18 pm on November 4th, 2008
With all that he did AND calling 911 after makes me wonder if he’s a bit low on the old IQ.
12:35 pm on November 4th, 2008
I am GFD’S brother and I dont know what happened there that night and in my heart I know that Trey would not harm a child. He has been left alone with my children and has never shown any signs of such evil. I pray every night for the parents of Lily, it breaks my heart to even imagine how they must feel. I am so confused with all these feelings inside. Trey is a great person and has not ever even been in a fight,like I said , I was not there and have not been able to speak to him. No, he is not a meth head, freak , or any of the evil things people are writing about him. As for me, I love my brother and that will not change. Please dont misunderstand where I am coming from, I do not condone anything to do with harming a child and again My deepest sympathies go out to the Edwards family. God bless you all!
12:58 pm on November 4th, 2008
Barrett im sorry this fuck wad is your brother. I dont care how good he seems because well he murdered a baby by beating her to death. Nuff said.
1:00 pm on November 4th, 2008
Thank you for posting Barrett. Please keep us updated. I really wanted to hear what you had to say over in the forums. Some people were not as patient but I understand their anger. I hope you understand the anger too. I admittedly was going to jump your shit too. Sorry this happened at ALL. Your stepbro will now have to deal with the consequences on his actions.
6:39 pm on November 4th, 2008
I understand why people want to use this as “proof” that their loved one couldn’t possibly have committed (insert atrocity here), but I really wish they wouldn’t. “He’s never done it before” is not equal to “he couldn’t have done it”. I had taken a thousand tests before I ever cheated on one; drove hundreds of times before intentionally running a red light, etc. Just because a person has never done something before doesn’t mean they can’t start any time…
That said, I can’t imagine your difficulties at this time. I hope you get everything sorted out as soon as possible.
10:42 am on November 5th, 2008
You know, people have always told me I was being irrational to not allow my baby to stay with anyone. I am talking parents, Grandparents, siblings, best friends, NO ONE!
Since my daughter was born, she has been with me EVERYDAY! No fail.
Have my husband and I been able to spend quality time together? Yup.
My mother has come from out of town to sit on the couch, read, and just have someone in the home while my kids slept. And where was my husband and I?……
Yup, you guessed it….the backyard. My husband has made me a romantic dinner with a romantic setting and music and even a bit of dancing. We have the baby monitor right there and had NO problem running in to see our precious baby if she even whimpered a bit.
It is called RESPONSIBILITY! If you become a parent, you throw out 90% of your “free time”. The other 10% you must be careful with.
To this day, no one will ever watch my kids, they will not be in daycare, and when we decide to have another baby, we will make sure that arrangement is still available to us.
If not, then we will hold off.
Pretty simple, huh?
MORAL: Don’t leave your kids with anyone!!! If you want “free time” then give your kids to someone who wants them! Then you can have free time forever
10:58 pm on November 6th, 2008
I am a good friend of April’s. I have know her since Elem. school. I had the opportunity to meet Lily last December. I live out of state due to my husband being in the Military. April and I were both pregnant at the same time, her with Lily and me with my daughter. Lily was a beautiful darling little girl and had a giggle and laugh I will never forget. Her eyes were so blue! April and Steven adored Lily! My heart broke when I learned of the death of Lily. I felt I had lost a child. I have cried every day since Lily’s death. I hold, kiss, and hug my daughter over and over, because I don’t know what I would do without her. Lily was April’s everything! In April’s words Lily saved April and helped April find out who she really was as a person. Maybe God placed Lily on this Earth just for those reasons. I beleive in God, but have such a hard time dealing with the way she was taken from all of us. I can’t get out of my mind how scared Lily must have been and what pain she felt. I have so many unanswered questions and why’s. I don’t know who this guy is and I didn’t even know he was living with them. Those are some of my unanswered questions as to why she had him watching her? Just look at him. I trust no one with my daughter except my husband. A day going out shopping or going for a few drinks is not worth the chance of choosing some nutcase to watch my daughter and to come home to find my daughter has been killed. I know April is having a hard time. She lost her Grandmother, Cousin, and a good friend along with her Lily all this year. Her Mother is very sick with Cancer. I wish I could have 2 min.s alone with this guy! I know he will get his one day. I am having a very hard time dealing with this. I have heard of babies and children being killed by there sitters before and it’s so sad to hear, but to have it happen to someone you know and a baby you knew it’s devastating! I went on this guys MySpace just now and you can just tell what a whack job he is! And why are her and her husband still his friends!? Like I said I have so many why and questions, but right now I don’t feel is the right time to dump them on her. I guess it’s just me being a Mom and thinking what were you thinking!? I love April so much and I hope she can get through this. She is a strong woman, but to have your only child taken from you forever is something you can never heal from 100%. We can all just hope and pray Lily is in a safe place being rocked by her Great Grandmother looking down on all of us who loved her so much. That smile, laugh, and blue eyes will forever be missed.
12:33 am on November 7th, 2008
Poor baby. What a way to go. I feel sorry for her parents, too. They took a risk, one that everyone who has used a babysitter has taken. It proved to be a mistake that cost their daughter her life. They’ll never get over having chosen a late night out over being home in time to take care of their daughter. I don’t really know what to say. It’s supposed to be good for a marriage for the parents to get away and have time together. You read it in magazines all the time. They thought they had someone they could trust to leave their baby with safely.
11:37 pm on November 7th, 2008
Here is the mom’s MySpace page:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=34006398
1:35 pm on November 10th, 2008
I was sitting there trolling through the myspaces (as i do before i read the story because it fools me into thinking this might be a good person misunderstood) I kept thinking (with the mother’s myspace) that these people seemed familiar but I just couldn’t place it, than I read the article realized this happened in Lakeland!! I mean really where this happened is like right down the street from me. I went back and kept sifting through the pictures and than after looking at the album of little Lily’s funeral read the blog. I realize how I know these people just a very vague two or so month connection but the church they went to Faith Lutheran is the same church I went to when I thought Lutheran was right for me.
All the people I met at Faith we’re so kind and so sweet and would never wish any harm on anyone. Lilly did not deserve this to happen to her the fact that she had yet to live aside she was from a family of good people with good intentions. I hope that God does what God finds appropriate to Gordon and as for that strange mark upon his face I hope that it’s because Steven got a good swing in on him in the emergency room; he deserves at least that much.
10:12 am on November 11th, 2008
Maybe it’s just me – but if my roommate killed my child, I would not keep his pics in my “Happy Family” albums! At least 3 of her Lily albums have pics of this murdering asscrack! Just makes me sick to see him there, enjoying time with this sweet baby – knowing not long after the pics were taken, he killed her.
The “Terrible Twos” are so trying (and begin at 1 yr. old)… I only ever left my kids with my parents or sister. You really have to have a lot of patience and experience. Why he didn’t just call them and tell them to come home, instead of beating the life out of this angel is beyond me.
RIP baby girl. Condolences to the family.
11:28 am on November 14th, 2008
Poor poor judgement…
Mom and Dad left their pride and joy with a man that was in the mother’s words as she stated on my space….”Her slave”, “Pick up that mop slave” to this man. She also refers to him this man as her “HOUSEWIFE”… Mother had alot of time on her hands to write on my space all the time….care for her dying mother, with Dr.s appointments? Dad was out of town all the time as mother states on her MY space acctount….No one to help her, aggravated that husbands out of town all the time, mom is sick and dying, baby is crying as she states on her my space account, No time for me…Mom staes but “I am going to write a children’s book for my “Lily”. Mom has no time but she is excerising 6 x a week she says…To me they were trading babysitter services for room and board …as they descibed the man they left their baby with as a GOOD FOR NOTHING LOAFER….They had told him to get out of their home 10 days prior. Oh, but we have a party to go to, how easy Hey slave watch the baby agin we have to go out and party. We trust you cause your free, availble, our own good for nothing convient babysitter… You have 4 days to find a place to live…By the way watch the baby we will be back …we trust you
WHAT THE F……………. PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR CHILDREN…SO SAD TOO BAD, NOW NO ONE HAS ANY PEACE…………………
12:20 pm on November 14th, 2008
He did call them…………they did not answer their phone………It took the police 4 calls before they even answered the phone to them…..Have another drink Mom and Dad…By the way Mom……and Dad……Why were you so stupid? His my space account was there for you to veiw and comment to, did you not see the pic’s or did you take them for him of his arm?
And Andrew where were you……………….oh yeah painting your baby’s room……..Good job.
1:50 pm on November 14th, 2008
Who are you? You obviously have a huge problem with April and Steven – and possibly the rest of the family as well. Are you suggesting they are to blame for Lily’s death?
They were at a Halloween Party – they tend to be noisy. Are you saying Trey tried to call them before he killed Lily? I’m thinking more like after … which makes it pretty moot as to when they finally answered.
His arm? I’ve seen it. No where does he state (or anyone else for that matter) what happened. If I post some after pics of my mom bruised and broken on my page, but don’t tell you what happened… will you automatically assume the worst? (She fell down a tall flight of stairs) Why would anyone assume anything other than an accident with Trey’s pictures? How would that injury “foretell” what he did to that baby??
And PLEASE tell me — how is any of this Andrew’s fault? So he was painting his daughter’s room — where is the crime there? Was he supposed to be there with Trey that night?
Please quit with all the innuendo’s. If you have something to say – say it. If you’re going to assassinate someone’s character, I hope you have good facts to back you up.
Otherwise.. you’re just an annoying troll.
2:03 pm on November 14th, 2008
wait….i’m lost here…who is Andrew and what does he have anything to do with this story. I thought April and Steven were the parents…And I agree with you Zibarro. It doesn’t matter if he called. The baby would’ve died. Don’t try to come and cover up for him. He admitted to throwing the baby in the air and not catching her. So, really, who are you?
2:16 pm on November 14th, 2008
Andrew is one of April’s brothers, as well as a friend of Trey’s.
I’m pretty sure that “miss” when she was tossed was no mistake. It was frustration with a baby’s crying – and said baby landing on hardwood flooring. Bad combo. Then to shake her and continuously smack her already severely wounded head – no chance for poor Lily.
Tell me troll… when did Trey call? After he threw her, but before he shook her? After he threw her and shook her, but before he smacked her in the head 10 times? Do you think it really mattered? If he didn’t call them BEFORE he picked her up to throw her down – it was already too late. Hence, why we say he didn’t call until Lily was dead/dying – her parents couldn’t have done anything by that point.
2:56 pm on November 14th, 2008
Touche….
Touche again…. Damn. You beat me to it twice. Nice work.
A baby killer is a baby killer…. No matter what time his sorry ass made the call. No matter how it happened 9thrown, beat, smothered, shot). No one is as responsible for Lily’s death as he is. He will burn in hell for this one.
3:02 pm on November 14th, 2008
That woman who came on here is so fucking stupid….what the fuck does her brother have anything to do with what he did? She’s so dumb. It would be wise of her to stay off here cause when it rains, it pours and she’s gonna have a hard time taking her foot out her mouth for saying what she said earlier.
3:04 pm on November 14th, 2008
LOL April.. .Guess there is something to be said for having NO life (been too sick this week to do much *sigh*)
Amen, sister – Amen.
3:37 pm on November 14th, 2008
DARN!! Feel better. Dr. April says, “Take some asprin, drink some wine, and stay in bed”. We need you to bash the morons. You’re good at it. ♥
4:26 pm on November 14th, 2008
LOL! Thank you darlin’! Aspirin? Check (well, ibuprofen counts, right?)
Wine? Eh, not so much… how bout Tequila? lol
Stay in bed? Ha! No rest for the wicked … errr… I mean weary! hehehe. I’ll just say this – Bronchitis SUCKS! Especially for me cuz I lose my damn voice every time! (Hubby and kids just love that part…lol)
Thanks, tho. If I’m any good at this, it’s cuz I’ve learned from the best! (You included)
5:29 pm on November 14th, 2008
Oh! I feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Tell the hubby and kids to be nice!
5:35 pm on November 14th, 2008
I recall Mom And Dad tossing the baby long before this man was in their life………..”LILY LOVED IT”……………BABY’S ARE FRAGILE…
HOW A PARENT HANDLES THEM IS THE WAY THIS MAN LEARNED THE TOSSING IN THE AIR” . SO MAYBE IF YA HAVE ANOTHER BABY…..MAKE IT A BASKETBALL INSTEAD….THEN LILY MAY NOT BE DEAD…………………
5:54 pm on November 14th, 2008
But see the funny thing about the parents throwing her up in the air is the fact that THEY CAUGHT HER AFTERWARDS!!! They didn’t “miss” and they sure as hell didn’t shake her and smack her afterwards. You are soo funny. Maybe she is a troll, or maybe she’s just got foot-in-mouth disease.
6:18 pm on November 14th, 2008
Dixie – You are a freak. You are coming here to cause trouble. Trey is a murederer. Plain and simple. Now go away.
6:56 pm on November 14th, 2008
GUESS, MY COMMENTS ARE MAKING SOMEONE ANGRY….THE TRUTH HURTS………..SHOW SOME SELF CONTROL…JUST SPEAKING SOME FACTS…HURTS DOESN’T…NO ONE’S LIFE WILL EVER BE THE SAME…GUESS YOU WANT TO TAKE YOUR ANGRY OUT ON ME….OH WELL…MANSLAUGHTER AND MURDER ARE VERY DIFFRENT…HE IS NOT CHARGED WITH MURDER AND NEVER WILL BE…BECAUSE IN THE REPORTS IT IS STATED AS AN ACCIDENT,…SO STICK TO THE FACTS…BUT APRIL GET ON THE PILL SOON…LAZY MOM ALONG WITH YOUR OTHER PILLS YOUR ARE TAKING NOW…HEY YOUR THE ONE SPILLING YOUR GUTS ON MY SPACE SPACE CADET
7:32 pm on November 14th, 2008
That’s right, Dixie. YOu keep telling yourself that. Manslaughter is murder in my eye. A child is dead because your moron fucking friend killed her. Her parents will never see her beuatiful face again because Trey was a waste of sperm. Maybe his mom should have been on the pill. BTW – What pills do you suppose I’ve been popping? I am working (full time job). Later I will pick up my son and go to Karate. Then we will sit with his Dad for dinner and probably play before he goes to bed. You know so much about me. Remind me about the lazy part again…. Stupid troll. Pull your head out of your ass. You are defending a baby killer.
8:17 pm on November 14th, 2008
Well, I hadn’t been by for awhile, and I’ve been gettin’ caught up at lightning speed while itching to get on this particular thread…
8:19 pm on November 14th, 2008
April…does Dixie think you are April Edwards? HELLO, DIXIE, the April posting here is not April Edwards. So, if you want to be an ass and yell at poor April Edwards, you will have to pick up the phone and call her–not that I’m recommending such asswipeness.
8:26 pm on November 14th, 2008
i would never leave my fifteen month old child with anybody,when you have a child that old its not time go out and do “whatever” parents out in this fucked up “WORLD” it would seem to me that parents need to tighten up and get serious about there childs safety @ all times and trust no one ever,never let your gaurd down …not for one second….cuz there are creatures lurking in the shadows waiting,,,for some reason i have beleive this was an accident but i am not god and i cant judge this man i do not know him,,,his own brother states that he has never even seen his brother get into a fight or ever be aggressive towards anyone,and who would know a person better then a brother,the lord knows the hearts of all men and “vengance is mine sayeth the lord”it is not our place to judge its his job all we can do is learn nott to make these mistakes,not to slip ever,,,,be ever so watchfull over our little angels and protect them and question anyone and everything that might be a potential threat to there safety because ultimatley WE THE PARENTS ARE RESPONSABLE FOR OUR CHILDREN.we make the choices and choices my freinds lead us to where we are at right this very moment with out that little angel.i wish i could could turn back the time and save all of the children who died at the hands of this ‘WORLD’ but god has them and they are sitting with him in heaven…let this be a awakening for some parents and a lesson to us all….you can go and party anytime and if you lose your keys at the party ..hell you can call a locksmith and replace them,,,,but you can never replace a child or a human being….i hope i didnt piss anyone off with my comments..my heart goes out to anyone who has made some bad choices.cuz we all have made them…but please remember if your a parent think twice before you make a choice and choose to have fun rather than be at home where you belong being a responsable parent because that one millesecond of time is all you got
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