Father of Starved Florida Infant Arrested in Virginia Nearly a Year After Baby's Death

A Long-Distance Arrest Closes In on the Fourth Suspect

A fourth person has been arrested in connection with the death of a 3-month-old baby who allegedly died from severe dehydration and malnutrition. The case, which has horrified investigators and the public alike since the infant's death in the summer of 2025, reached a significant milestone on August 4 when federal agents tracked down the baby's biological father hundreds of miles from Florida.

Jason Gunter, 45, the child's biological father, was taken into custody by the United States Marshals Service at his home in Mechanicsville, Virginia, on an outstanding warrant obtained by St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office detectives. Gunter is being held without bond in the Hanover County Jail, awaiting extradition to St. Lucie County. Gunter has been charged with felony child neglect resulting in great harm for his alleged role in the circumstances surrounding the child's death.

A Baby Who Never Had a Chance

The investigation began on August 20, 2025, when Vikki Koon and Robert Maxwell brought 3-month-old Robert Gunter to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce. Medical staff immediately observed signs that the infant had been dead for some time, including rigor mortis, fixed pupils, and skin discoloration. He was pronounced dead at 11:35 a.m. after resuscitation efforts failed.

At baby Robert's last doctor's appointment on July 24, 2025, he weighed more than 11 pounds. By the time of his death less than a month later, he weighed about 9 pounds, which placed the infant in the first percentile of children his age. The boy died of dehydration and malnutrition in a mobile home in the 800 block of Silverstream Circle in Fort Pierce, which was in bad condition — investigators found an extreme bug infestation and a lack of food in the home. Four other children in the home, ranging in age from 2 to 10 years old, were placed in foster care through the state Department of Children and Families.

Warning Signs That Were Ignored

According to a 37-page arrest affidavit, the infant had been primarily living with Koon and Robert Maxwell after Gunter moved to Virginia. Investigators say Koon admitted the baby was often fed only a few times a day and claimed he sometimes drank as little as two bottles daily. She told detectives she noticed the child was becoming increasingly thin, pale, and lethargic. She also described frequent vomiting, excessive sleeping, and a decrease in wet diapers. Despite those concerns, detectives say no one sought emergency medical treatment.

Text messages obtained during the investigation showed family members repeatedly warning both parents that something was wrong. Investigators say the baby died from dehydration and malnutrition, and the medical examiner later ruled the death a homicide. Detectives say the case was complex, requiring outside expertise and months of additional testing before they could move forward with charges. A detective who worked the case described it as one of the worst she had seen in 20 years of law enforcement.

Three Already Behind Bars, a Fourth on His Way

The arrest comes after three others were previously charged in the case: the child's mother, 27-year-old Nicole Maxwell; the child's grandfather, Robert Maxwell; and Robert Maxwell's girlfriend, 38-year-old Vikki Koon. All three were charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child and aggravated child abuse, and each was held on a $1.5 million bond.

The arrest of Gunter marks the fourth made in the case, and the investigation remains active as the case moves through the judicial process. With all four suspects now in custody or awaiting extradition, prosecutors will face the difficult task of assigning degrees of culpability to each — from those physically present in the home to a father who had relocated to another state while his infant son's health deteriorated. The case serves as a sobering reminder that legal responsibility for a child's welfare does not end at state lines.